With two of my posts referencing the words and works of Jessica Valenti, we invited her to respond. Her reply was as follows:
Thanks for the email. Perhaps you don’t understand post-feminism because it doesn’t really exist. It’s a term made up by the mainstream media and anti-feminists to try to discredit the work that women’s organizations and feminism are doing. In any case, I appreciate the offer to respond, but my schedule limits me from answering many blog posts or interview requests. I hope you understand.
All best, Jessica
First, we are very gracious for her reply. We recognize her busy schedule and even this reply is much appreciated. Her discussion of post-feminism is in response to my mention of post-feminism as a area of interest over at our About Us page. I use the term partly in jesting reference to post-modernism, a perspective I’ve always been a bit at odds with. But I also use the term more seriously if I am allowed to define it a bit here. I do feel there is a bit more to the term than Ms. Valenti allows. For a bit of background on the term, this and this work for starters.
I approach the issue of feminism as part of a broader “gender studies” discipline. In looking at feminism and progress on women’s rights in general from the major achievement of the Nineteenth Amendment (the denial of the vote to women prior to that as much a travesty as slavery and oppression of racial minorities) to the broader social movement from the 60s on that has focused on both legal and social equalities, there has certainly been much progress.
Looking at the present status of gender equality in my generation, I see women attending and graduating from institutions of higher education at greater rates than men. I see women being increasingly unrestrained by the feminine gender mold of the past. Things will certainly continue to open up over time, but the main taboos or stigmas have been broken down. And I celebrate all this.
But too often, feminist critiques in modern times strike me as continuing to blame “men” as a collective unit for continued slights. Many men suffer great damage from the cognitive dissonance they feel when society tells them they are strong as men yet they feel weak inside; they feel useless because society has given them no options for approaching a world where women have these expanded options. They are still bound to a masculinity that is often at odds with the goals of feminism.
I feel it is time to recognize the need for a gender movement that seeks to expand opportunities for men to stray from the masculine ideals portrayed to them. This is why I think post-feminism is a suitable term. As a term, feminism represents itself as being only in service of the interests of women. Post-feminism says that we have moved beyond where the interests of women are exclusive, but rather, a broader gender movement needs to be adopted that heightens the equality and opportunities for both men and women.
Not only do I think this post-feminist shift will be beneficial to men, I think it is essential for women too. Presently, a core tenet of male identity is wrapped up in the role as breadwinner. As women seek greater positions of power and equality in pay, it is essential that men be given an alternate construction that gives them worth even when they are not the primary breadwinner. There are many other examples I could bring up where the construction of masculinity puts the interests of men in opposition to the interests of women. Only through a more positive, broader gender movement can we find ways to resolve these issues in a positive-sum outcome. So that is why I use the term post-feminism.
Anyway, I thank Ms. Valenti again for the reply, I should point out that I was directed towards her writing due to glowing references from multiple bloggers I admire highly. I intend on reading her book, which despite my grumblings, does look fascinating, and I certainly would encourage our readers to do the same. It also occurs to me, that in adding Feministing to my regular blog reading, I add the first female voices in my daily blog line-up. I don’t know if that says more about me or the blogosphere, though here’s a big list of options.
Update: Talk about timing. This post on Feministing is talking about the same thing. Also, I’ll accept that post-feminism is a loaded term at this point and perhaps a better term could be isolated, I stand by the spirit of the post though.
