The feminist label

The sensibilities of the time seem to be opposed to the TERF's who have found themselves ousted from mainstream feminism (such as the public denunciation of JK Rowling) or removed from Twitter (as Meghan Murphy was).

The second way the war over biology manifests in feminism today is through the rise of the reactionary feminist.

One of my favourite writers and self-described reactionary feminism, Mary Harrington, says the label started as a joke but it has merits. It describes the fact that she doesn't believe in progress - which sounds bleak - but it means an acceptance that there will always be differences between the sexes. As it turns out if men and women have the freedom to make their own choices, statically those choices will be different and as such it is fanciful to expect 50% representation in everything. In that sense striving for equality of outcome (like so many feminists are) is a kind of fiction because women will always desire and pursue different things to men, and that is ok.

More importantly, the decades-long feminist project to try and liberate women from their biology is one such example of where these reactionary women push back hard. What if it is neither possible nor desirable to liberate women from their biology? What if women actually just want to be women (I know crazy right)?

The modern feminist Frankenstein has made women miserable. When given the option, women generally don't want to pursue frivolous sex and serious careers, particularly if it is at the expense of motherhood and a loving partnership.

Perhaps reactionary feminism is a kind of fatalistic, but in a world where leaning into traditional roles is more taboo than breaking them, and women often feel more guilty about not being feminist enough or being too (stereotypically) feminine, the writings of these women can be a relief (to myself included).

Conclusion

Ironically the excesses of feminism - and particularly the denial of biology or social constructivism - has led many women back to the cause of feminism. When men start encroaching on women's spaces, or women start insisting that being a stay at home mum is letting down the feminist cause suddenly ordinary women have stuff to fight for again that is unique to the experience of being female.

Perhaps the feminist label should be taken off the social constructionists, why do they need it if they don't think there is any such thing as a female?

Instead, practical women that don't bow down to fictions such as cultural relativism or denial of biology should carry the feminist mantel.

So, maybe I should just embrace the feminist label to hell with all those that say that my politics make me a handmaid for the patriarchy!