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For the Japanese band, see Anti Feminism.

Antifeminism is opposition to feminism in some or all of its forms.

Antifeminist claims and ideas

Many antifeminist proponents say the feminist movement has achieved its aims and now seeks higher status for women than for men^[1]^[2]^[3].

Others consider feminism a destructive force that endangers the family. For example, political scientist Paul Gottfried describes this antifeminist position:

Serious conservative scholars like Allan Carlson and F. Carolyn Graglia have maintained that the change of women’s role, from being primarily mothers to self-defined professionals, has been a social disaster that continues to take its toll on the family. Rather than being the culminating point of Western Christian gentility, the movement of women into commerce and politics may be seen as exactly the opposite, the descent by increasingly disconnected individuals into social chaos^[4].

Antifeminist writer Jim Kalb describes the stance thus:

To be antifeminist is simply to accept that men and women differ and rely on each other to be different, and to view the differences as among the things constituting human life that should be reflected where appropriate in social attitudes and institutions. By feminist standards all societies have been thoroughly sexist. It follows that to be antifeminist is only to abandon the bigotry of a present-day ideology that sees traditional relations between the sexes as simply a matter of domination and submission, and to accept the validity of the ways in which human beings have actually dealt with sex, children, family life and so on. Antifeminism is thus nothing more than the rejection of one of the narrow and destructive fantasies of an age in which such things have been responsible for destruction and murder on an unprecedented scale^[5].

Antifeminists often decry what they view as the misandric policies of Western governments, including anti-male discrimination in the areas of reproductive rights, child custody, alimony, and property division in divorce, pointing to statistical figures.^[6] They also object to affirmative action, which they usually refer to as positive discrimination, against men and women in the form of quotas in the areas of employment, education, politics, and healthcare.^{[citation needed]}

Antifeminists sometimes point to an increase in divorce and "family breakdown" and attribute as its cause the influence of feminism. They also cite that crime^[7], teenage pregnancy^[8], and drug abuse^[9] are higher among children of fatherless homes, considering that 66-80% (depending on the source) of divorces are initiated by women and that single mothers are accountable for 49% of all child abuse cases^[10].

Furthermore, antifeminists argue that feminist organizations and researchers frequently use fake statistical data and research, pointing out a number of cases where they claim such incidents have occurred.^[11]^[12]

Antifeminists say that feminists impose tremendous pressure on traditional women by denigrating the role of a traditional housewife:

"No woman should be authorized to stay at home to raise her children. Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice, precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one."^[13]

Instead promoting the business woman, woman leader models, as well encouraging women into competitive environments, where they may not be able to perform as well as males, if only for purely physical reasons. A case illustrated by Taylor Caldwell:

There is no solid satisfaction in any career for a woman like myself. There is no home, no true freedom, no hope, no joy, no expectation for tomorrow, no contentment. I would rather cook a meal for a man and bring him his slippers and feel myself in the protection of his arms than have all the citations and awards and honors I have received worldwide, including the Ribbon of Legion of Honor and my property and my bank accounts. They mean nothing to me. And I am only one among the millions of sad women like myself. ^[14]"Ask Them Yourself"

Antifeminists point out cases when feminist policies and regulations are detrimental to female self-esteem. For example, women sometimes receive "special treatment" in the form of lower physical requirements in some professions such as military and rescue services. Women who are hired are expected to handle less physically demanding tasks, which may reduce effectiveness of a unit. These policies make it impossible to refuse hiring women.^[15]

Antifeminist leaders

Feminists such as Camille Paglia, Christina Hoff Sommers, Jean Bethke Elshtain and Elizabeth Fox-Genovese have been labeled "antifeminists", or holders of antifeminist views, by other feminists ^[16] ^[17] because of their positions regarding oppression and lines of thought within feminism (which Sommers has controversially defined as gender feminism).^[18] Authors Patai and Koertge argue that by labeling these women "anti-feminists", the intention is to silence them and prevent any debate on the state of feminism. It represents "an enormous extension of women's power, allowing any sort of criticism of either women or feminist ideas to fall under the watchful eye of their ideological guardians."^[19].

Critique of Antifeminism

Pozner writes:

Anti-feminist women who attack feminism under the guise of the liberal cause of women's advancement are far less easy to dismiss than right-wing critics such as Phyllis Schlafly or Rush Limbaugh. Yet Schlafly and Sommers are both listed in the speakers guide of the Young Americas Foundation, a group which routinely gives $10K grants to student groups to bring conservative lecturers to their campuses. Sommers is also a speaker for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, another right think tank, which dishes out the dollars to sponsor lecturers who "counter the Marxists, radical feminists, deconstructionists, and other 'politically correct' types on your campus." The media seize the rhetoric of self-proclaimed "feminist dissenters" such as Sommers and Rophie as proof that feminism is failing women ("See," we are supposed to think, "even the feminists now admit their movement is passé"). They are compensated highly for their complicity: Sommers received over $164,000 in grants from the conservative Olin, Bradley and Carthage foundations for "Who Stole Feminism", in addition to a six-figure advance from her publisher, Simon and Schuster.^[20]

Some criticism of antifeminism has focused on studies of the behavior of children from fatherless homes, labeling them misleading and alarmist:

Research on the impact of father involvement on children provides evidence that high levels of paternal participation tends to increase children's cognitive competence, empathy, and internal locus of control. These children are also characterized by reduced sex-stereotyped beliefs. However, these positive outcomes may result because the fathers sampled wanted to be and enjoyed being involved in childcare, not just because they were involved per se. ^[21]

Australian sociologist Michael Flood argues that although children of two-parent families generally do better psychologically and educationally than children of single-parent families, that does not necessarily mean that correlation between these two factors implies that one is the cause of the other, and that neither divorce, nor fatherlessness in themselves are the cause of it. In a discussion paper he uses studies to argue that it is the quality of parenting and the child's relationship with the parents that plays the main role. That children are negatively influenced by the situations in families characterized by violence, psychological problems, substance abuse, or economic insecurity and that it is the couples where such situations are frequent that are more likely to get divorced.^[22]

In an article in American Psychologist (June 1999), Louise B. Silverstein and Carl F. Auerbach conclude that "the stability of the emotional connection and the predictability of the caretaking relationship are the significant variables that predict positive child adjustment." They also state that "a wide variety of family structures can support positive child outcomes."^[23]

Antifeminist organizations

As of 2008^[update] the most successful antifeminist organization in the US is STOP ERA, founded by Phyllis Schlafly in October 1972. Schlafly successfully mobilised thousands of people to block the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in the USA^[24]. It was Schlafly too who forged links between STOP ERA and other conservative organizations, as well as single-issue groups against abortion, pornography, gun control, and unions. By integrating STOP ERA with the so-called New Right she was able to leverage a wider range of technological, organisational and political resources, successfully targeting pro-feminist candidates for defeat.^[24]

Outside the United States, organised antifeminist groups have been conspicuously less successful. In Australia, Babette Francis has led Endeavour Forum (formerly "Women Who Want to be Women" for over twenty five years, but has failed to halt ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), as well as the eventual introduction of medical abortion in Australia, and the successive liberalisation of laws related to abortion in Australia within every state and territory [2]. REAL Women of Canada has similarly failed to halt same sex marriage and decriminalisation of abortion in Canada, while Britain has never had an organised antifeminist group of its own, and New Zealand's "Women for Life" (1983-2004) ceased to exist several years ago.

Even though STOP ERA in the United States was successful in derailing the ratification of the ERA, it was otherwise ineffective when it came to stopping feminist legislation. The Equal Rights Amendment was the only major legislative failure of the women's movement in the USA (1963 - 1982).^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Wattenberg, B (1994). "Has Feminism Gone Too Far?". MenWeb. Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ Pizzey, Erin (1999). "How The Women's Movement Taught Women to Hate Men". Fathers for Life. Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ Janice Shaw Crouse (2006). "What Friedan Wrought". Concerned Women for America. Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ Gottfried, Paul (2002). "The Trouble With Feminism". mensnewsdaily.com. Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ Jim Kalb (2004). "Anti-Feminist Page". Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ Data and studies supporting the need for equal parenting, Patrick & Lynn Kempen
^ "Juvenile Crime In Fatherless Homes, Public Schools". National Center for Policy Analysis. 1997. Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ Ellis, BJ; et al. (2003). "Does father absence place daughters at special risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy?" (PDF). Child Development. 74 (3): 801-821. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)
^ "The Consequences of Fatherlessness". fathers.com. Retrieved 2006-09-30.
^ A study of child abuse in Lansing. Michigan. Joan Ditson and Sharon Shay in Child Abuse and Neglect, Volume 8. 1984.
^ The M.O.M. Squad Capers, Carey Roberts
^ Feminist Takeover of the U.N. is an Issue of National Security, David R. Usher
^ Simone de Beauvoir
^ Success Stories
^ [1]WOMEN IN COMBAT, The Center for Military Readiness
^ Judith Stacey, Is Academic Feminism an Oxymoron?, Signs, Vol. 25, No. 4, Feminisms at a Millennium. (Summer, 2000), pp. 1189-1194
^ Elizabeth Kamarck Minnich, Review: 'Feminist Attacks on Feminisms: Patriarchy's Prodigal Daughters', Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 1. (Spring, 1998), pp. 159-175
^ BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine,by Margaret Cho (Foreword), Lisa Jervis (Editor), Andi Zeisler (Editor), 2006
^ Patai and Koertge, Professing Feminism: Education and Indoctrination in Women's Studies, (2003)
^ Cite error: The named reference organizenow.net was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Fatherhood and Family Law: the Myths and the Facts. Compilation.
^ Fatherhood and fatherlessness
^ http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/deconstruct.php; (proper source required)
^ ^a ^b Tierney, Helen (1999). Women's Studies Encyclopedia. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated. p. 95.

Notes

External links

How Not to Criticize Feminist Epistemology, by Elizabeth Anderson, review of "Scrutinizing Feminist Epistemology" concluding "[it is a] failure by its own evaluative standards of civility and avoiding gross error, tribalism, cynicism, and political correctness."
Ladies Against Feminism
The Femmenist Anti-feminist blog by self-proclaimed "Femme-nist" Elisabeth Kay
The AntiFeminist Blog devoted to antifeminism and men's rights issues

[(Wattenberg,_B_1994)-1] Wattenberg, B (1994). "Has Feminism Gone Too Far?". MenWeb. Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[(Pizzey,_E_1999)-2] Pizzey, Erin (1999). "How The Women's Movement Taught Women to Hate Men". Fathers for Life. Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[(JSC_2006)-3] Janice Shaw Crouse (2006). "What Friedan Wrought". Concerned Women for America. Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[(Gottfried,_Paul_2002)-4] Gottfried, Paul (2002). "The Trouble With Feminism". mensnewsdaily.com. Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[(Kalb,_J_2004)-5] Jim Kalb (2004). "Anti-Feminist Page". Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[6] Data and studies supporting the need for equal parenting, Patrick & Lynn Kempen

[(NCPA_1997)-7] "Juvenile Crime In Fatherless Homes, Public Schools". National Center for Policy Analysis. 1997. Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[(Ellis_BJ_2003)-8] Ellis, BJ; et al. (2003). "Does father absence place daughters at special risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy?" (PDF). Child Development. 74 (3): 801-821. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)

[fathers.com-9] "The Consequences of Fatherlessness". fathers.com. Retrieved 2006-09-30.

[10] A study of child abuse in Lansing. Michigan. Joan Ditson and Sharon Shay in Child Abuse and Neglect, Volume 8. 1984.

[11] The M.O.M. Squad Capers, Carey Roberts

[12] Feminist Takeover of the U.N. is an Issue of National Security, David R. Usher

[13] Simone de Beauvoir

[14] Success Stories

[15] [1]WOMEN IN COMBAT, The Center for Military Readiness

[16] Judith Stacey, Is Academic Feminism an Oxymoron?, Signs, Vol. 25, No. 4, Feminisms at a Millennium. (Summer, 2000), pp. 1189-1194

[17] Elizabeth Kamarck Minnich, Review: 'Feminist Attacks on Feminisms: Patriarchy's Prodigal Daughters', Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 1. (Spring, 1998), pp. 159-175

[18] BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine,by Margaret Cho (Foreword), Lisa Jervis (Editor), Andi Zeisler (Editor), 2006

[19] Patai and Koertge, Professing Feminism: Education and Indoctrination in Women's Studies, (2003)

[organizenow.net-20] Cite error: The named reference organizenow.net was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[21] Fatherhood and Family Law: the Myths and the Facts. Compilation.

[22] Fatherhood and fatherlessness

[23] ttp://www.deltabravo.net/custody/deconstruct.php; (proper source required)

[wse2-24] Tierney, Helen (1999). Women's Studies Encyclopedia. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated. p. 95.

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 == Antifeminist leaders ==
 Feminists such as [[Camille Paglia]], [[Christina Hoff Sommers]], [[Jean Bethke Elshtain]] and [[Elizabeth Fox-Genovese]] have been labeled "antifeminists", or holders of antifeminist views, by other feminists <ref>Judith Stacey, ''Is Academic Feminism an Oxymoron?'', Signs, Vol. 25, No. 4, Feminisms at a Millennium. (Summer, 2000), pp. 1189-1194</ref> <ref>Elizabeth Kamarck Minnich, Review: 'Feminist Attacks on Feminisms: Patriarchy's Prodigal Daughters', Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 1. (Spring, 1998), pp. 159-175 </ref> because of their positions regarding oppression and lines of thought within feminism (which Sommers has controversially defined as [[gender feminism]]).<ref>''BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine'',by Margaret Cho (Foreword), Lisa Jervis (Editor), Andi Zeisler (Editor), 2006</ref> Authors Patai and Koertge argue that by labeling these women "anti-feminists", the intention is to silence them and prevent any debate on the state of feminism. It represents "an enormous extension of women's power, allowing any sort of criticism of either women or feminist ideas to fall under the watchful eye of their ideological guardians."<ref>Patai and Koertge, ''Professing Feminism: Education and Indoctrination in Women's Studies'', (2003)</ref>.
-Other feminists such as media critic [[Jennifer Pozner]] claim that Paglia, Sommers, Elshtain and Fox-Genovese use the feminist label as a ruse. In describing what she believes is a method of "so-called rebel feminists" who use "Leftist lingo to gain rebellious credibility in a supposedly politically correct culture," she identifies what she argues is a contradiction: "[they] [b]ecome vocally indignant at [other feminists] refusal to tolerate [their] 'dissenting feminist voice'" and then "[g]o directly to the media. Do not pass up the college lecture circuit. Do not turn down close to $200K in Right Wing grants" and wait "for the money to come rolling in." She goes on to further counter claims of silencing debate or criticism: "Use your role as 'rebel feminist' to denounce every feminist concern other than women's economic advancement." and "(...) substantiate your claims by using faulty research methods and superficial interviews. Rarely contact the authors, activists and psychologists you libel." <ref name="organizenow.net">[http://www.organizenow.net/cco/right/antifem.html OrganizeNow.net]</ref>
 ==Critique of Antifeminism==

Antifeminism: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:46, 30 August 2009

Antifeminist claims and ideas

Antifeminist leaders

Critique of Antifeminism

Antifeminist organizations

See also

References

Notes

Further reading

Literature about antifeminism

Antifeminist literature

External links