Listen Up, The Economist: Whose Feminism Are You Talking About?

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-01-08 21:17:00 UTC
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Apparently I missed the memo: there's a new feminism in town.

At least, so says Adrian Wooldridge of The Economist: "The new feminism contends that women are wired differently from men, and not just in trivial ways. ... Feminist texts are suddenly full of references to tribes of monkeys, with their aggressive males and nurturing females." While the old feminists prided themselves on being tough, capable, and never making mistakes in the workplace, the newbies want to abandon meritocracy for a nice Kumbaya circle.

Turns out Feministing missed the memo, too. And they'd like to know where exactly this concept of a "mythical 'new feminism'" comes from.

I don't know what kind of feminists Wooldridge has been talking to (I'm guessing he actually hasn't been). In fact, Feministing found no sign that the writers he cites even self-identify as feminists, and offers him a handy tip for future reporting: "Just because someone has written about gender issues in the workplace doesn't make them representative of today's feminism."

Maybe he'd do better just focusing on the monkeys.

Photo: ChrisL_AK

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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