It Feminism, contrary to popular belief, is not advocating for every woman to do whatever she wants without criticism or critique. In reality, there is no choice or action that a free woman can make that is inherently feminist. However, the common belief that feminism supports every woman in every action, regardless of the consequences that may affect her or others, is an idea called “choice feminism”.
To understand why this type of feminism does not work – and that it could be argued that it is actually anti-feminist – one must have a basic understanding of the modern functions of the patriarchy, choice feminism’s connection to the modern patriarchy, and comprehend the actual function of feminism.
The Patriarchy:
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the patriarchy is “a society in which the oldest male is the leader of the family, or a society controlled by men in which they use their power to their own advantage”[1]. While the exact origins of the patriarchy remain disputed and the patriarchies’ control over society has ebbed and flowed throughout history and different cultures, it is a general system in which the oldest man of a family is the “head” of that family, and men have social, political, and economic control over society. Traditionally, in American society, the patriarchy meant that women had no political rights, such as rights to office or voting, economic rights, no right to banking, or right to many jobs, and limited or no social rights or standing.
This near-total oppression was maintained for nearly two hundred years -and arguably is still maintained in some ways today- via laws, social and cultural expectations, and traditions. Today, this oppression, although significantly diminished, is still prevalent in American society, only it uses different tactics and modes of oppression. Instead of Harvard professors writing papers on how the female brain cannot comprehend politics [2], it is memes about how a menstruating woman would start World War III over a bad Starbucks order. It used to be magazines telling women to be submissive and obedient wives to their husbands [3], now it is traditional wives [4] online preaching for girls and women to tap into their “divine feminine” to quit their job and find a strong “masculine man” to cook for and have babies with.
Many old philosophers made their careers of warning men about the inherent inferiority and dangers of women [5], now podcast bros have replaced them. These modern trends are more than pretty aesthetics or mindless content; they are actively promoting the same patriarchal ideals that have led to hundreds of years of violent oppression for women. The patriarchy has not gone away or changed its ideals; it has only adjusted its means of control to better suit the modern era.
Choice Feminisms Relation:
So, how does choice feminism fit into the modern patriarchy? Choice feminism is the most disgusting way to sell the patriarchy to women and men alike. If one preaches that women do not belong in sports, they might have some who agree with them, but the vast majority of people would be shocked at the statement and rightfully call them sexist. Feminism today is far from openly socially acceptable, but it is in many ways socially expected. This is why the patriarchy invented something like choice feminism. By ignoring all of the nuances and issues – both historically and currently – with women not engaging themselves in the world politically and economically, it does seem harmless to say that if a woman does not want to get an education or work a day in her life, that should be her choice. And while in no way is feminism expecting every woman to have a PhD and be a CEO, it does aim for every woman to be fully autonomous in every aspect of her life.
If anyone -man or woman – is fully financially reliant on another person, lacks any work experience or possibly education, and does not vote, it would be fairly difficult for that person to remain autonomous in the modern world. Both feminism and choice feminism agree that it should be within a woman’s power to decide her future, only choice feminism argues that it is enough if she has a choice and feminism argues that her choice must come from education and a fair situation.
To analyze the more social and political aspects of choice feminism, it is within a woman’s right to vote however she chooses, speak as she pleases, or support whomever she wishes under the Constitution. However, not all of her desires as a woman will naturally align with feminism and be the best for both her and women as a whole. For example, choice feminism would call a woman who makes a living as a social media influencer promoting a misogynistic brand a feminist because she is making her own money and her own decisions.
However, a feminist would critique her because she is working a job that does not put her in a long-term financially stable position and her job is to promote a brand that actively brings down women as a whole. Now, whether she cares to think about what either side has to say is unknown, but in the end, it does not matter what she thinks, so long as her actions continue to promote the system that is actively trying to strip women of their choices and liberation.
Feminism:
By oversimplifying and misrepresenting feminism, choice feminism is able to undermine the feminist movement in a pretty pink bow. Feminism itself does not aim for every woman to be a boss babe power queen, but aims for every woman to be able to be the boss and have power over her own life. It is not enough to call a woman liberated simply because she has a choice between two things. If her choices are not fueled by education and fair circumstances, then how is that actually liberty?
Remember: feminism is a topic that one could get a PhD in. It is hard, it is complex, it requires extensive thought. Even if choice feminism wasn’t advocating for the patriarchy, it would still be ignorant to bring it into feminist discussions. Whether you are a feminist or not, please do what you will with your life; however, do not justify your harmful words and actions with the excuse of feminism.
