Feminist Caricature

"First cast out the beam out of thine own eye"

car·​i·​ca·​ture (noun): exaggeration by means of often ludicrous distortion of parts or characteristics

A few weeks ago, I debated feminism against Kat Murti and Cathy Reisenwitz for Bob Zadek’s Free for All web show.

With five participants (the panelists plus Bob and his co-host, Big John), getting a word in edgewise was a challenge. Yet by the end, I reached an epiphany:

While feminists often claim to be unfairly caricatured, their movement is guilty of severe caricature of non-feminists.

How so?

On the show, Kat and Cathy characterize feminism as both (a) the belief that men and women should be treated equally, and (b) opposition to sexism. These are standard feminist talking points.

Now recall: In the most recent relevant survey, 53% of American adults say they aren’t feminists. So:

When you say that “feminism is just the belief that men and women should be treated equally,” you are by implication claiming that 53% of American adults are non-believers in gender equality.

And:

When you say that “feminism is just opposition to sexism,” you are by implication claiming that 53% of American adults are non-opponents of sexism.

Which are plainly silly caricatures! If you have any doubt, such claims:

• Go against the best survey evidence, which shows that over 90% of non-feminists do believe that “men and women should be social, political, and economic equals.”

• Go against almost every conversation you’ve had in real life. How many people have ever questioned gender equality to your face? Defended sexism to your face?

• Go against the opinions you’ve read in almost any mainstream newspaper. When was the last noted op-ed published in defense of gender inequality or sexism?

• Go against the views expressed on network and cable news.

• Go against every textbook you were assigned in public school.

Yes, outright opponents of gender equality and defenders of sexism do exist, but you have to go to the internet to find them. Because that’s where every kind of crazy lives.

Admittedly, if you’re hypersensitive, you can interpret almost any gender-related statement as a blatant attack on gender equality and defense of sexism. But you shouldn’t be hypersensitive.

On the other hand, my proposed definition of feminism - “the view that our society generally treats men more fairly than women” - is no caricature. It is etymological truth. We’re now up to the Fourth Wave of the feminist movement, but complaining about the fairness gap continues. “Our society generally treats men more fairly than women” isn’t just a weird view that a few internet trolls believe. It is the view that feminists have been pushing from the start. When you give them the floor, they habitually enumerate long lists of injustices against women. Their lists of injustices against men are much shorter. Or non-existent.

By way of contrast, all of the following are caricatures of feminism:

“Feminism is the view that our society is heaven for men and hell for women.”

“Feminism is the view that our society always treats men more fairly than women.”

“Feminism is the view that only women endure unfair treatment in our society.”

“Feminism is the view that all men are evil.”

“Feminism is the view that the male gender should be exterminated.”

These are, indeed, ludicrous positions. While a few feminists believe them (paging Valerie Solanas and her SCUM Manifesto), most do not. My point is that the patriarchal and sexist views that feminists ascribe by implication to non-feminists are in the same hyperbolic ballpark. As caricaturists, feminists are more sinning than sinned against, by far. So much so that I’m tempted to modify my definition to, “Feminism is the view that our society generally treats men more fairly than women - and that you have to be foolish or evil to disagree.”