But why seek equality when you can seek something even better? Mainly, superiority.

I think the current incarnation of feminism which we are seeing is a predictable and direct result of the emergence of cultural feminism during feminism's third wave during the early to mid 1990's. Books such as "Reviving Ophelia," "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" and "Women's Ways of Knowing" all popularized the notion that women were fundamentally "different" from men. More connected, relationship oriented, grounded, familial and less linear or competitive.

While fundamental physiological and emotional differences between men and women have been accepted for millennia, it was during this era that feminist scholars began to assert in earnest that women were indeed different than men, and more importantly, that the traditional feminine traits were in fact superior and should be valued as such.

Cultural feminism left behind the fight for equality and instead attempted to merely reverse the dominant paradigm. It suddenly became acceptable to posit that men and women were different, as long as you also asserted that women were de facto superior.

This sense of superiority, coupled with a breathtaking arrogance, seems to be what is girding today's feminists.

Coalition politics does indeed make for strange bedfellows. I can only imagine that those women marching on behalf of Iran and Hezbollah actually believe that aligning themselves with such despicable regimes somehow furthers their own quest for power.

Given the current path of the feminist movement, I shudder to imagine what the "fourth wave" will bring.
Go Ask Alice | Homepage | 08.17.06 - 10:12 pm | #

Hopefully the fourth wave of feminism will bring delicious homemade cookies.

And garter belts.
Area Man | 08.18.06 - 6:31 pm | #