Women’s Rights Advocates Must Factor in the Anti-Feminist Backlash

According to acclaimed writer and activist doorbell hooks, “feminism is simply a activity to extremity sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” For blimpish politicians nan world over, however, feminism is simply a convenient scapegoat. Consider, for example, nan Seoul metropolis councilor who asserted that much women entering nan occupation marketplace could “partly beryllium responsible for an summation successful antheral termination attempts.” Or Republican Congressman Glenn Frothman, who blames “the angry feminist movement” for nan listlessness of American men. His projected solution? To “work our measurement backmost to wherever America was successful nan 1960s.” Or nan racist and sexist characterizations of Vice President Kamala Harris arsenic a “DEI candidate”—referring to diversity, equity and inclusion programs—despite her singular accomplishments.

As hooks explained, feminism offers a roadmap to a much egalitarian, liberated future. But it besides serves arsenic a rallying outcry to make backlash against gender egalitarian reforms and aspirations. Unfortunately, this is thing new. As Susan Faludi wrote successful 1991, “the anti-feminist backlash has been group disconnected not by women’s accomplishment of afloat equality but by nan accrued anticipation that they mightiness triumph it. It is simply a pre-emptive onslaught that stops women agelong earlier they scope nan decorativeness line.”

Thirty-three years later, nan backlash against nan very conception of gender egalitarianism is rising again. We tin spot it successful world politics, narratives connected societal media and successful nan lived experiences of women nan world over. Understanding really this backlash manifests, and preparing for it, is captious for those seeking to build a much egalitarian future.