Liberal feminism: the most shallow feminism ever

submitted by [deleted] from self.GenderCritical

I wanted to post this on GC, obvs I can't now.. so I figure I'd just post it here and continue to write my thoughts as if GC was still up.

I had been on GC for many years and I noticed that a few weeks before the ban the influx of new posters was exploding. GC used to be sorta small and the number of new posts a day wasn't crazy. Like many of us, I really believe the JKR stuff exposed people to the issue and a lot more people began peaking. I also believe that GC had a lot more lurkers than perhaps it thought it did. People who lurked but never posted b/c they didn't want their main accounts to get banned from their usual and fun innocuous subscribed subs.

Recently I had replied to a couple of new posters on GC who stated they had lost friends in real life due to being public or speaking about their GC views. As a woman who has been GC/radfem for many years, and recently "went full TERF" I also lost 2 very close friends of mine (one being my best friend of 12 years). I could empathize with these women saying the same things.

In my attempts to debate with my lost friends, and have open discussion about gender ideology using the Socratic method, I kept hearing the same thing and I hear the same thing all over libfem spaces: "I believe in equality."

I want to fucking scream when I hear this from "feminists" now. Liberal feminism is the most shallow feminism in history. Patriarchy is using kindness, heavily socialized into women from childhood, against you; they'll use your kindness to brush you aside and force themselves into your bodies, your roles, your professional and personal spaces. Thats why you're so afraid to acknowledge your own female biology as separate from TIMs. Thats why you parrot "TWAW" and "feminism is for everyone" because you can't imagine a life where men haven't blatantly or subtly forced themselves into your worldview. Thats why you have zero ability to empathize with other women around you who may be rape or abuse survivors and don't want men in bathrooms and shelters. Thats why you cancel other women because you've been socialized to believe that the "nicer" and "more inclusive" and less "angry" you are, the better a woman you are. Your view of women and feminism is shaped by men via liberal feminism.

I'm not saying all this to purposefully demonize libfems. Most libfems are women who are just "brainwashed" (for lack of a better word) into the "nice personality" they've been taught they should have. Most of us were libfems that used critical thinking, became exposed to GC/radfem theory, or peaked from TRA bullshit. More libfems will become us, as they have been.

Most of my libfem friends who claim they believe in "equality" and "support women" don't do anything for women in their personal or professional lives. As a woman in a mental health field and a ton of professional and volunteer experience in domestic violence/sexual assault, this really grinds my gears. I know we can't all quit our jobs to help women and such, I'm not saying that, I'm just saying that when libfems say they "believe in equality" and "believe in womens rights" but scream "TWAW" at the same time, all I hear is "my equality is defined and controlled based on approval from men, including men who feel like women."

all 17 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]CaliforniGinger 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Most of my libfem friends who claim they believe in "equality" and "support women" don't do anything for women in their personal or professional lives.

So true. A lot of my libfem friends will even talk with great fondness for women mentors they've had who made a big difference in their lives, but I'm not aware of any of them making an effort to be mentors, even though they are of an age and stature to do so now. Much less discuss the real harms of sex work, etc.

[–]vitunrotta 16 insightful - 1 fun16 insightful - 0 fun17 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Was thinking about this today - how the imagined "niceness and softness and non-confrontational attitudes of women" (something that very neatly serves the patriarchy, funny that...) is being used against women themselves in this new, very-non-woman pseudofeminism. We know we are empathetic and loving and nurturing - so why would we deny anyone who has gone through the plights a safe space! Even if it means that a literal MAN can take over the word WOMAN because they just one day chose to. Stunning and brave indeed. Sigh.

It's quite astounding, really - how many women, and especially the so-called smart women (well educated) have fallen to this absolutely mad quicksand of blurred words and woke-sounding ideologies. I thought they taught people to THINK in universities but it seems they are now just brainwashing them. Not that I would know, I am a mere plebeian and know nothing. Heh.

EDIT: A sentence that didn't make sense :)

[–]Killer_Danish 16 insightful - 1 fun16 insightful - 0 fun17 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Liberal feminism is the capitalist co-opting of the feminist movement into something they could sell to men. It's the bang-maid always asking her male overlords if she's "doing it right" and if she's a "good girl" by male, ever-shifting goalpost standards. Once the libfems realize that it's NEVER ENOUGH, they (hopefully) drop it like the toxic waste movement it is.

EDIT: Sorry, double posted

[–][deleted] 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I've noticed that liberal feminist women are always wealthy and usually white. So I think maybe why they believe in liberal feminism, is because if they toe the line they will get to keep their wealth, reputation and power in a patriarchal society, if women step out of line then look at jk rowling.

I'm not excusing these women though, I feel resentful towards them, they are acting no better than men, they are throwing women and children under the bus and creating a lot of harm in society just because they want to please men, look cool and not rock the patriarchy boat. Which makes me more glad that jk rowling has been speaking up, she has more backbone and courage than all these libfems.

[–]threefingersam 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah, it's like feminism corrupted into a marketable brand.

[–]Adele 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Good points, all. Some observations I can make about the most vocal liberal feminists I know are:

  1. They don't read feminist texts or theory, and get all of their information from social media. They confidently say things like "second wave feminists weren't intersectional", but they say this because they think Germaine Greer is a TERF, not because they know or care about black feminists feeling alienated during women's liberation.
  2. Echoing your point, they actually don't treat the women in their lives very well. They are so focused on sloganeering and looking pure that they don't live feminist values.
  3. They think they're brave feminist warriors, but they subscribe to the most male centered/male pleasuring views about porn and "sex work".

[–]NextNinjaTurtle 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Liberal feminism doesn't teach women to break the chains of the patriarchy, it teaches them to paint them with glitter and wear them proudly like jewelry.

[–]Barber_Acrobatic 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

There's an musical theatre actress/ youtuber I used to watch for a long time and she's got wayyy too saccharine for me now. I watched her go from a 'I'm not a feminist I love everyone' to an 'of course of I'm a feminist here's a list of men who inspire me'on international women's day. She's made a few noises regard JK Rowling, about how she absolutely doesn't agree with her and I think that was the last straw for me. She said she was ranting to herself in her house about it and all I could picture was her walking round her kitchen shouting trans women are women on repeat.

I'm bored of being told to be nice, I'm bored of being told to (re)educate myself. I don't want to associate with a brand of feminism that seems to think that the pinnacle of female achievement is making everyone beautiful.

[–]Killer_Danish 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Liberal feminism is the capitalist co-opting of the feminist movement into something they could sell to men. It's the bang-maid always asking her male overlords if she's "doing it right" and if she's a "good girl" by male, ever-shifting goalpost standards. Once the libfems realize that it's NEVER ENOUGH, they (hopefully) drop it like the toxic waste movement it is.

[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I'd agree with you that they are brainwashed. They cant even sit back and question why men happily support their feminism. Men happily support liberal feminism because liberal feminism doesn't actually change things for women, if anything, it makes things worse for women through libfems supporting trans activism and prostitution.

[–]threefingersam 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Liberal feminism really is all fluff and no substance.

[–]RoundFork 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

As usual, turning women’s virtues against them. Forced to sympathize with males because “you’ve felt oppression right?! Take TW’s side ‘cuz they’re ACTUALLY the most oppressed”

[–]Smurfette 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

There were enough libfems on r/GC. Too much of “I’ll respect their pronouns if they are nice to me and pass” (completely not understanding that they were literally handing away the keys to women’s spaces) and EVERY SINGLE THREAD made by a man getting an award, and post after post after post saying “I’m GC but I respect trans people (with a bunch more ass kissing)”, which is just pandering to male feefees....you should just be able to state your opinion without saying all these backpedaling bullshit statements to ensure you haven’t hurt anyone’s feelings by GASP! believing in biology.

[–]Veneficca 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Liberal feminism can also be straight up selfish: is me me me me me me. "I want MY equal pay, I want MY abortion when I need one, I want to be able to file a complaint when I'VE been harassed.... and as long as I can count on those things for me, personally, I'm not going to worry about the women who will never be paid fairly, will be forced to give birth, and are harassed/raped without recourse."

Their efforts end with securing their individual comfort, not liberating women from sex-based oppression. They have zero empathy for women without their advantages, and no understanding of what their own lives would be like as females were they born in less privileged circumstances.

[–]writerlylesbian 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

liberal feminism - actually a lot of contemporary political movements - are built on meaningless sound bites. We live in a capitalistic society which is hierarchical by design. It's nonsensical to talk about 'equality'. I think what they really mean is something like 'equality for those like me who are already economically privileged enough not be automatically relegated to the shit-class of human beings, because who cares about them?'

[–]Complicated-Spirit 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I remember popular ‘90s-‘00s feminism growing up, and it honestly scared me.

Feminism back then was about making WIVES and MOTHERS’ lives easier, along with a healthy dose of “It’s FEMINIST to be SEXY!”. The corporate world had gotten involved, and now a woman was liberated when she got vacuum cleaners and dusters that made housekeeping all the simpler; bleach that made fabrics that much whiter; lingerie that said that just because you’ve given birth doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look “tantalizing” to your husband.

Women weren’t promised equal pay or promotions at work, but we WERE promised on-site daycare facilities at the office for “working moms” and the promise of ever-shorter skirts to wear with our business casual clothes. Feminism was about quick and easy dinners to make for our families. Feminism was about sitcoms that either detailed the lives of a good-looking mom and her lazy-ass, lovable husband that she loved despite his faults, or a single woman who just wanted marriage and a baby, whether she knew it or not.

I didn’t like that “feminism” because it was sold as so “liberating” and “free” and “for women”, but it was just gender roles dressed up in corporate power suits. How come no one was building daycares for working dads? How come men didn’t have sexy boxer stores? How come dads didn’t have to worry about cooking dinner and cleaning house? Why weren’t these ever men’s problems?

And for God’s sake, why did I have to get married and have kids? I didn’t like kids. I didn’t trust men. Was I abnormal? Did I need to see a therapist? (Two people - one a medical professional - thought so.) But that was feminism: marriage and children were for women, so that must be what this newfangled “feminism” is, repackaged by corporate sponsors eager to ensure a steady stream of revenue from Christmas toy shoppers, dieting aids and Swiffer products.

[–]Rationalmind 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Most of us were libfems that used critical thinking, became exposed to GC/radfem theory, or peaked from TRA bullshit.

Spot on. Critical thinking in the current society is frowned upon especially of women. It reminds me of this:

In 1921, Zelda gave birth to the couple’s only child, Frances “Scottie” Fitzgerald. Her reaction to the birth is purported to have been used by Scott in The Great Gatsby, in which Daisy Buchanan states in response to the birth of her daughter: “I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

Seems years pass, but society doesn’t change.