Victimization

Modern feminism calls for a change in societal structures to accommodate women because women are branded as victims to a patriarchal society. Victimhood has become a collective badge worn by virtue of being a woman. The feminist movement has arguably stripped women of personal responsibility and agency by suggesting that everything, down to our thought and perspectives, are a result of male-dominated societal norms. Women who do not align with feminist ideology or question it are perceived as victims of male indoctrination which further perpetuates the cycle of female victimhood.

From Exclusive to Inclusive 

In the past, the feminist movement primarily advocated for the rights of biological women. However, in recent years, the movement has evolved to become more inclusive, aligning itself with various socially progressive ideologies. As a result, the definition and meaning of womanhood has become somewhat blurred and subjective. Today, women struggle to articulate a clear and concise definition of what a woman is. Feminism has also become politicized and affiliated with radical leftist ideologies, causing a loss of focus on its original goals and ambitions. Women are so afraid of inadvertently causing offense to men (who identify as women) that they are sacrificing their own comfort in the name of inclusivity, which defeats the purpose of feminism. This recent development has elicited concerns regarding the prioritization of inclusivity over the fundamental needs and rights of women. For example, campaigners against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have faced criticism on social media platforms from liberal feminist for not employing inclusive language, as the notion that vaginas are exclusively female seem to be offensive (ironic that people fighting for women are offended by their own sex) rather than focusing on the actual issue which is FGM! Virtue signaling has emerged as a defining characteristic of the contemporary feminist discourse.  

Equality of Opportunity vs. Equality of Outcome

The modern feminist movement has shifted its focus from advocating for equal opportunities to promoting equal outcomes. While equal opportunities provide a level playing field for all individuals to compete, equal outcomes aim to address systemic prejudice by ensuring proportional representation of diverse groups in society. However, the concept of equal outcomes is complex as it involves numerous factors such as gender, race, socio-economic background, age, and more. Such a level of regulation can only be implemented by a totalitarian state, making it a very unrealistic model. Modern feminism’s call for equal outcomes can be viewed as promoting an unattainable or even communistic society. It is important to note that equal opportunities should be provided to all individuals, regardless of gender. However, when equal opportunities are offered for men and women, why shouldn’t women be expected to earn their positions through merit and hard work, rather than receiving them as a result of their sex?

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The Paradox of Gender Equality

The systematic differences between men and women have been explored through the use of atheoretical standard personality models. The ongoing debate in academia is whether these differences are due to socialization or biological factors. To shed light on this question, countries were ranked based on the level of equality they promote in their policies, with Scandinavian countries at the forefront and countries with unequal treatment of women ranked lower. The magnitude of gender differences was then measured based on six key personality traits (altruism, trust, risk, patience, and positive and negative reciprocity). The hypothesis posited that if socialization plays a role in these differences, one would expect to observe a decrease in gender differences in more egalitarian societies. Surprisingly, research findings showed that as societies become more egalitarian, the larger the difference between women and men became. For instance, studies in Scandinavian societies found that men have a stronger inclination towards things, while women tend to be more interested in people, with a large difference of approximately one standard deviation. Therefore, findings suggest that it is unfeasible to achieve both equality of opportunity and equality of outcome, as equality of opportunity leads to an increase in gender differences which affect occupational choices. Men who are interested in things often pursue careers in STEM fields, while women who are more interested in people tend to choose jobs in fields such as healthcare, education, and social sciences. To simply put it, when systematic and societal constraints on male dominated industries are removed women still choose not to enter these industries. Therefore, it can be succinctly stated that the lack of representation of women in male-dominated industries is not solely due to systemic and societal barriers, but also stems from personal choices. Consequently, the implementation of quotas with the intention of achieving equality of outcomes is misguided and contradicts the needs and interests of women. This creates a paradox within modern feminism, as it denies the role of biology in shaping gender differences, while simultaneously imposing expectations and pressures on women to pursue careers that do not align with their personal preferences.

The Magic Word: Patriarchy

It is widely believed that the disparities in outcomes between men and women can be attributed to patriarchal oppression. However, the evidence suggests that such disparities persist even in societies where patriarchal systems have been significantly reduced. This supports the idea that differences in outcomes are driven by factors such as differences in career interests, work habits, and negotiation styles between men and women. The notion that women are victims of societal manipulation, as espoused by modern feminism, disregards female agency and autonomy. This approach infantilizes women by attributing their life choices solely to external factors, rather than acknowledging the complex and diverse array of motivations and experiences that shape individual decision-making. The values of early feminism, which aimed to empower women with the ability to make their own choices, are thereby contradicted by this reductionist view of gender disparities. Western women, in particular, are highly educated and self-determining, making it quite demeaning to claim that their life choices are the result of patriarchal influence.

Rowa Kordi

Koç University & Erasmus University Rotterdam