The Being Human Podcast with Richard Atherton #370 Has Feminism Delivered? - Carrie Gress
May 16, 2026
Carrie Gress, philosopher and author who studies feminism, motherhood, and culture. She traces feminism’s surprising origins and links to political movements. Talks include why many women feel less happy today, motherhood as a strength, the false binary between extremes, and what men deeply value in women.
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How Feminism Protected Itself From Scrutiny
- Carrie Gress argues feminism protected itself with phrases that shut down scrutiny, framing criticism as anti-women or ignorant.
- She traces feminism's ideological roots alongside socialism and says that tactic made critique culturally taboo and politically effective.
First Wave Roots Tie Egalitarianism To Cultural Shifts
- Carrie traces first-wave feminism to Mary Wollstonecraft, linking egalitarianism, anti-hierarchy religious shifts, and envy of men as drivers.
- She connects early feminist themes to occultism, free-love, and the Industrial Revolution reshaping home and fertility.
Consciousness Raising Was Designed As Political Mobilization
- Consciousness-raising began as a deliberate technique to make women angry and politically active, a tactic noticed by socialists and communists.
- That method spread into global movements and was repurposed as an organizing tool, including by Clara Zetkin for International Women's Day.
