Lean In (to Misogyny), Ladies!
Are You in for the Hustle?
Are you a woman eager to make a name for yourself and possibly find your way onto the speaking circuit? If you’re skilled in the art of mental gymnastics, then you might want to consider the controversial career path known as gender grifting. This trend sees women profiting from telling less enlightened females that feminism has gone too far, advocating instead for a return to traditional gender roles often carved out by men.
The Irony of Gender Grifting
In this bizarre marketplace of ideas, women who profit from traditionalism often don’t fit the mold they promote. Platforms like TikTok are awash with “tradwife” content, where women glorify submission and domesticity. Jameela Jamil has pointed out the hypocrisy of these women who espouse submissive roles while building lucrative brands and securing their independence. The contradiction is glaring: advocating for a lifestyle while living the opposite.
Media’s Role in Gender Grifting
A particularly glaring example of this phenomenon is Fox News, where female anchors deliver increasingly regressive views on issues like the #MeToo movement. They often fall into a pattern of reinforcing misogynistic narratives, questioning whether the movement has gone too far—all while maintaining their careers within a media system that benefits them, financially, for their views.
Changing Narratives: The New York Times
Perhaps the most alarming manifestation of gender grifting can be traced to prestigious platforms like the New York Times. Recently, a transcript of Ross Douthat’s podcast questioned, “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” Initially titled in a more direct manner, it set a disturbing tone that suggests a reexamination of women’s roles in professional settings—a conversation rife with dangerous interpretations dressed as intellectual debate.
Voices Amplifying Misogyny
In the podcast, Douthat invited Helen Andrews and Leah Libresco Sargeant, both critics of liberal feminism, into a discussion hinting at a “right-wing politics of gender.” Andrews argued that feminism has essentially feminized our institutions, leading to what she considers “feminine vices” such as gossip and an inability to confront conflict directly. This skewed perspective reinforces outdated stereotypes that hold women back, painting them as inherently flawed.
Underlying Issues of Gender Inequality
While this contentious dialogue unfolds in elite circles, real issues persist around the globe concerning women’s rights. For instance, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum was recently groped in public, a striking example of how women, regardless of their status, are subjected to gender violence, overshadowing narratives of workplace discomfort.
Wage Gaps and Structural Violence
Back in the U.S., the gender pay gap is widening, defying the idea that the workplace has been ‘feminized’ to the detriment of men. And while discussions swirl around whether liberal feminism has gone too far, tangible instances of discrimination and misconduct are rampant, with many high-profile men in politics facing serious allegations without appropriate accountability.
Repackaged Misogyny
The danger lies not just in the rhetoric but in the disturbing legitimization of such beliefs across mainstream outlets. When media platforms offer a stage to misogynistic arguments, it distorts the very fabric of feminist discourse and reaffirms harmful attitudes in society.
Conclusion-less Discourse
The conversation about gender is complex and layered, far too nuanced to be distilled into a simplistic argument about ‘wokeness’ or ‘feminism gone too far.’ As long as narratives driven by gender grifting continue to be popularized, they threaten the hard-won progress of women’s rights and gender equality, leaving the real issues tragically unresolved.
