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It's facinating to me how the feminist movement has been so successful that the far right now coopts feminist language.
Phyllis Schlafly used to thank her husband for "giving her permission" to speak.
That type of self-demeaning language doesn't even fly w GOP women any more. https://twitter.com/newsweek/status/1194794617297948673
Phyllis Schlafly used to thank her husband for "giving her permission" to speak.
That type of self-demeaning language doesn't even fly w GOP women any more. https://twitter.com/newsweek/status/1194794617297948673
It's really important to carefully pay attention to the faux-liberation messages conservative women are getting & the warped "empowerment" that helps them sleep at night.
I was raised in an incredibly conservative, misogynistic culture & I remember what it felt like.
I was raised in an incredibly conservative, misogynistic culture & I remember what it felt like.
The message I hear most frequently from (mostly white, wealthy) conservative women is, "I feel Equal."
They *don't* say, "I acknowledge I'm not equal & am OK w that!" They genuinely think they are. That's significant.
How can you help someone see their own oppression?
They *don't* say, "I acknowledge I'm not equal & am OK w that!" They genuinely think they are. That's significant.
How can you help someone see their own oppression?
I think a lot of this has to do w interpersonal relationships.
Heterosexual women, in particular, rely on men, love men & see men as partners.
It’s very hard to see someone you love form part (even unknowingly) of an oppressive system or group.
Heterosexual women, in particular, rely on men, love men & see men as partners.
It’s very hard to see someone you love form part (even unknowingly) of an oppressive system or group.
This is why the far right’s insistence that feminists “hate” men is so effective.
It confuses women who love men into pitting their romantic & familial relationships against their own liberation.
It confuses women who love men into pitting their romantic & familial relationships against their own liberation.
Feminists are always confused by this argument. “Of course I don’t hate men. That has nothing to do w it,” we say bewildered.
But we must see— this is not a stupid act of confusion, it’s a genius ploy to force women to make the false choice btwn the men they love & feminism.
But we must see— this is not a stupid act of confusion, it’s a genius ploy to force women to make the false choice btwn the men they love & feminism.
Women can *feel* respected, supported & even equal in their own relationships & spheres, but societal inequality still exists.
EQUALITY IS NOT A FEELING.
It can be measured.
The wage gap exists. Violence against women exists. Women are not equally represented in Congress.
EQUALITY IS NOT A FEELING.
It can be measured.
The wage gap exists. Violence against women exists. Women are not equally represented in Congress.
The far right Trump crowd doesn’t use old misogynistic language.
They don’t have to.
They just have to convince enough women (insulated by relative wealth & privilege) that they ARE ALREADY equal.
They don’t have to.
They just have to convince enough women (insulated by relative wealth & privilege) that they ARE ALREADY equal.
The most common contemporary argument against the Equal Rights Amendment is “we don’t need it“… That’s another version of "we are equal already."
What a truly FANTASTIC LIE.
It's such evil-genius perfection to make women believe in gains that don't exist.
What a truly FANTASTIC LIE.
It's such evil-genius perfection to make women believe in gains that don't exist.
