Feminism Under The Microscope with Mary Harrington
Dec 23, 2023
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Mary Harrington, a writer and contributing editor at UnHerd, discusses her critique of feminism, progress theology, changing social status of motherhood, the Barbie movie, and gender dysphoria in this engaging episode.
Feminism should prioritize the well-being of both mothers and children.
The declining birth rate is influenced by progress theology and anti-natalist culture.
Hookup culture has negatively impacted women's experiences and led to a wilderness of dissatisfaction.
Deep dives
The Impact of Feminism and Freedom
The speaker discusses the impact of feminism and the pursuit of freedom on women's lives. She reflects on her personal journey and the influence of feminist ideology on her perception of embodiment and motherhood. She emphasizes the importance of accepting and working with the givens of our own biology, rather than seeking to escape or diminish them. The speaker also raises questions about the compatibility of abortion with the concept of freedom and the feminist movement. She explores the historical significance of the legalization of abortion and its connection to the transhumanist era.
Reconciliation of Motherhood and Freedom
The speaker highlights the challenges and tensions between motherhood and the pursuit of personal freedom. She shares her experience of being a mother and the profound impact it had on her perception of her own body, autonomy, and sense of self. She questions the feminist ideology that promotes freedom through evading motherhood and argues for a more inclusive and reconciliatory approach that prioritizes the well-being of both mothers and children. She calls for a cultural shift that supports and values motherhood while also respecting women's autonomy.
Declining Birth Rate and Anti-Natalist Culture
The speaker examines the declining birth rate in many secular societies and its underlying causes. She highlights the influence of economic growth and progress theology, which promote individualism and prolonged adolescence. She critiques the cultural, economic, and political structures that discourage and hinder the decision to have children. The speaker acknowledges the global nature of the issue, noting that it is not limited to Western countries but is prevalent in various cultures around the world. She emphasizes the need to address this anti-natalist culture and explores potential solutions to encourage and support family formation.
The Flattening of Reproductive Differences: Second-Wave Feminism and the Impact of Reproductive Healthcare
Second-wave feminism, driven by the arrival of reproductive healthcare technologies like birth control and abortion, aimed to flatten all reproductive differences between men and women in pursuit of total sameness. This dominant mode of feminism has marginalized feminist voices that emphasized the importance of motherhood and women's unique reproductive role. The technologies that seemingly fix reproductive differences have diminished the significance of defending women's interests as mothers, leading to the memory holding of motherhood within feminism and the dominance of a feminism of freedom underwritten by biotech.
Hookup Culture, Gender Expectations, and Dissatisfaction
Hookup culture, advocated by hardcore feminists, was perceived as liberating but has negatively impacted women and their experiences. The normative mate selection behaviors of both sexes persist despite efforts to flatten reproductive differences through technologies like birth control. Women's longing for emotional connection is often exploited by men in the pursuit of sexual access, while women also exploit men's desire for young women in various ways. The cultural expectation of casual sex has led to a wilderness of dissatisfaction, particularly among individuals in their early twenties seeking companionship and long-term relationships.
My guest today is Mary Harrington. Mary is a writer and contributing editor at UnHerd. She's the author of a great book called Feminism Against Progress. In this episode, we talk about her general critique of feminism, we talk about what she calls progress theology, we talk about the changing social status of motherhood, we talk about the Barbie movie, gender dysphoria, and much more
Mary's Book - Feminism against Progress
Check out New Merch - https://merchandise.colemanhughes.org
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