Lim Jia Yi
A0223391L
PS3237 Essay 1
Word count: 1000 words (excluding citations)
Question 1: Forms of feminism that embrace femininity and individual choice are becoming
increasingly popular. Is this development a boon or a bane for feminism? Answer using
relevant feminist concepts and theories covered in class.
Introduction
The development of these forms of “neo-liberal” feminism has been a bane instead of
a boon for feminism. Firstly, they resurface patriarchy by supporting the maintenance of
harmful status quos. Secondly, they exacerbate the very inequalities that feminism seeks to
challenge, such as class and racial inequalities. The essay acknowledges that such feminism
did develop out of sincere intentions, but its negative effects outweigh its positive effects.
Opposing argument
Scholars argue that such feminism is a boon instead of a bane for feminism, as it
encourages proclaiming and exercising one’s right to freedom to challenge the patriarchal
status quo of women being subjugated to men. They argue that making individual choices is
empowering, as they are a result of breaking out of mindsets we have been socialized into by
patriarchal narratives.1 For example, Baker (2008) and Rich (2005) argue that to not exercise
individual choices is to be caught in a cycle of self-victimization.2 Such feminism has led to
empowerment in some ways. Notable women such as Sheryl Sandberg, a chief operating
officer of Meta Platforms, had utilized personal choice as a way of encouraging autonomous
femininity and career advancement, becoming successful in a patriarchal society.3
Resurfacing of patriarchal structures
Nevertheless, the development of such feminism is, not as empowering as it looks on
the surface. I argue that it is a bane instead of a boon for feminism, as it carries the wholly
inaccurate mindset that the feminist revolution has already achieved its objectives of
equality, which supposedly enables the freer choice of people.4 In reality, much
discrimination and subjugation still exist in patriarchal societies. The illusion of the freedom
1
Shelley Bludgeon, “Individualized femininity and feminist politics of choice,” European Journal of Women’
Studies, Volume 22, Issue 3 (2015). https://journals-sagepubcom.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/doi/10.1177/1350506815576602.
2
Ibid.
3
Sheryl Sandberg, “Why we have too few women leaders,” TED Talk, accessed September 22, 2023,
https://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders?language=en#t483983.
4
“The third wave of feminism,” Britannica, accessed September 22, 2023,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism/The-third-wave-of-feminism.
of choice afforded to more privileged women is unattainable for less privileged women such
as women of colour or women of lower socio-economic statuses.5
There is a strong assumption that everyone has choice or agency to begin with. The
embracing of individual choice creates guilt within people who lack the opportunities for such
free will, due to their subjugated status in society. It creates a problem with internalizing
society’s fault-lines into the self. Such feminism encourages people to fit into the existing
mold of discriminatory structures and remain unchallenging to them.6 It de-politicizes
feminism by discouraging political advocacy against the structural discrimination created by
patriarchy. It is problematic to suggest that the sole responsibility of fighting structural issues
is on individual choice, when an enabling economic, social and political environment is
necessary to facilitate the exercising of such free will. Absolving a patriarchal state and its
systems of its responsibilities and obligations to its people is thus questionable.
When analysed in isolation, such feminism also shows people exercising their
autonomy in how they desire to look and behave. However, such activities are inevitably
exploited and commodified in a capitalistic and patriarchal society.7 It begs the question as to
whether people are making choices out of their own volition, or due to conditioning by their
respective societies that leads to unconscious decisions. For example, media promoting
motherhood and career achievement could be subconscious influences on what a “successful
life” constitutes for a woman.8 Pant (2019) likewise argues that the years of patriarchy have
subconsciously influenced the illusion of free choice, as it subtly conditions people into
accepting patriarchal demands of womanhood, such as particular beauty standards on
makeup and grooming. Pant suggests that it is inaccurate to discount how these choices are
subconsciously made under patriarchy.9 Hence, such forms of feminism neglect the idea that
choice does not equate to agency and that even making individual choices can have insidious
links to patriarchy.
Crenshaw (1989) argues that patriarchy and systemic discrimination need to be
abolished, which has been possible through tireless advocacy by feminist activists. Structural
constraints created by patriarchy play a large part in influencing people’s agency, and it is
illogical to assume that individual choice is enough to challenge unequal norms and status
5
Vicki Li, “Choice Feminism: New and Hip, but Not Necessarily Good,” The F-Word Magazine, accessed
September 22, 2023, https://upennfword.com/2019/11/04/choice-feminism/.
6
Michaele L. Ferguson, “Choice Feminism and the Fear of Politics,” Perspectives on Politics, Vol. 8, No. 1 (2010), pp.
247-253. https://www-jstor-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/25698532.
7
Magdalena Petersson McIntyre, “Commodifying feminism: Economic choice and agency in the context of
lifestyle influencers and gender consultants,” Special Issue: Feminist Solidarity: Practices, Politics and
Possibilities. Volume28, Issue3. https://www-jstororg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/pdf/25698532.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A8c2495dfb639fb2f65411454873b05
4e&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1
8
ARIELLE KUPERBERG and PAMELA STONE, “THE MEDIA DEPICTION OF WOMEN WHO OPT OUT,” Gender and
Society, Vol. 22, No. 4 (2008), pp. 497-517. https://www-jstororg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/pdf/27821665.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Ad5dd537172c5806db43a8a4afd002
2e1&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1.
9
Manasi Pant, “Choice Feminism: A Self-Imposed Barrier To Progress?” Feminism India, accessed September
22, 2023, https://feminisminindia.com/2019/09/17/choice-feminism-self-imposed-barrier-progress/.
quos.10 It is not a form of victimization to suggest that some groups are more disadvantaged
than others.11 Therefore, such feminism that does not challenge structural barriers is a bane
for feminism, as it assumes that all issues are individualized and ignores the political and
patriarchal structures.
Deepening class and racial divides
The development of such feminism is a bane for feminism as it exacerbates
inequalities that further pit the feminist movement against itself, further disuniting the
people who should be working together to challenge inequalities in society. This could
negatively affect and weaken the progress of feminism’s mission of challenging problems as
one collective group.
Development of such feminism has worsened issues of segregation, which created an
isolation of feminist activists over time. Instead of fighting society’s structures, they have
turned to fighting each other. The ideas of femininity and individual choice are propagated by
middle-class white, high-powered women such as Sandberg, who have the necessary privilege
to dictate their lives to some extent.12 However, intersectionality suggests that some social
groups are far less privileged due to their class or racial status, which makes it much more
difficult for them to exercise individual choice.13 Ideas of individual choice suggest that a
person is solely to blame for their lack of privilege in society. Such an assumption creates
elitism and complacency, which fragments people of different privilege levels within the
feminist movement and leads to isolation and scorn of less privileged groups. A lack of
solidarity in a movement that thrives on collective efforts is a bane for feminism, as feminism
better challenges societal problems through an articulation of their unique lived experiences
with discrimination.
Conclusion
Overall, it is understandable why these forms of feminism have developed over time,
and have good intentions and valid objectives. However, they are ultimately a bane for
feminism in today’s modern world. Their popularity has raised the important issues of how
some areas of feminism have failed to recognize that society is not yet post-revolution. They
have highlighted what areas the feminist movement needs to continue to tackle, which
includes fighting patriarchy and reconciling class and racial discrimination.
10
Kimberle Crenshaw, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of
Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” The University of Chicago Legal Forum,
(1989), pp. 139-167.
11
Alyson M. Cole, “"There Are No Victims in This Class": On Female Suffering and Anti-"Victim Feminism",”
NWSA Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1 (1999), pp. 72-96. https://www-jstororg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/pdf/4316629.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A6ec8fb65142659780e29d43e94f7b8c
9&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1.
12
Ibid.
13
“Intersectional feminism: what it means and why it matters right now,” United Nations, accessed September
22, 2023. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/6/explainer-intersectional-feminism-what-itmeans-and-why-it-matters.
References
Bludgeon, Shelley. “Individualized femininity and feminist politics of choice,” European
Journal of Women’ Studies, Volume 22, Issue 3 (2015). https://journals-sagepubcom.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/doi/10.1177/1350506815576602.
Britannica. “The third wave of feminism.” Accessed September 22,
https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism/The-third-wave-of-feminism.
2023.
Cole, Alyson M. “"There Are No Victims in This Class": On Female Suffering and Anti-"Victim
Feminism".” NWSA Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1 (1999), pp. 72-96. https://www-jstororg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/pdf/4316629.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A6ec8fb6514
2659780e29d43e94f7b8c9&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1.
Crenshaw, Kimberle. “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist
Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics.” The
University of Chicago Legal Forum, (1989), pp. 139-167.
Ferguson, Michaele L. “Choice Feminism and the Fear of Politics.” Perspectives on Politics, Vol. 8,
No.
1
(2010),
pp.
247-253.
https://www-jstororg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/pdf/25698532.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A8c2495dfb
639fb2f65411454873b054e&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1
KUPERBERG, ARIELLE and STONE, PAMELA. “THE MEDIA DEPICTION OF WOMEN WHO OPT
OUT.” Gender and Society, Vol. 22, No. 4 (2008), pp. 497-517. https://www-jstororg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/pdf/27821665.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Ad5dd5371
72c5806db43a8a4afd0022e1&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1.
Li, Vicki. “Choice Feminism: New and Hip, but Not Necessarily Good.” The F-Word Magazine.
Accessed September 22, 2022. https://upennfword.com/2019/11/04/choicefeminism/.
McIntyre, Magdalena Petersson. “Commodifying feminism: Economic choice and agency in
the context of lifestyle influencers and gender consultants.” Special Issue: Feminist
Solidarity:
Practices,
Politics
and
Possibilities.
Volume28, Issue3.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gwao.12627.
Pant, Manasi. “Choice Feminism: A Self-Imposed Barrier To Progress?” Feminism India.
Accessed September 22, 2023. https://feminisminindia.com/2019/09/17/choicefeminism-self-imposed-barrier-progress/.
Sandberg, Sheryl. “Why we have too few women leaders,” TED Talk. Accessed September 22,
2023.
https://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_lead
ers?language=en#t-483983.
United Nations. “Intersectional feminism: what it means and why it matters right now.”
Accessed
September
22,
2023.
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/6/explainer-intersectionalfeminism-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters.