Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry DEBATE: Should We Encourage Our Daughters To Be Feminists? - Bryan Caplan vs Holly Lawford-Smith | Maiden Mother Matriarch Episode 158
Aug 3, 2025
Holly Lawford-Smith is a Political Philosophy Professor at the University of Melbourne and author of 'Feminism Beyond Left and Right', while Bryan Caplan is an Economics Professor at George Mason University and writer of 'Don't Be a Feminist'. In a lively debate, they tackle whether we should encourage our daughters to embrace feminism. They explore varying definitions of feminism, the complexities of gender equality vs. liberation, and how these frameworks shape youth perspectives on societal narratives surrounding women's experiences.
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Point Scoring as Prioritization Tool
- Bryan Caplan argues point scoring between men and women about unfairness is not fruitless but a way to prioritize social justice activism.
- He suggests that evaluating who is worse off helps in deciding where to invest one's philanthropic or activist energy.
Historical vs Contemporary Gender Fairness
- Holly Lawford-Smith believes women have been historically and culturally subordinated in most societies.
- Bryan Caplan argues contemporary Western societies have largely achieved egalitarianism with roughly balanced gender unfairness.
Avoid Victim Mentality Advice
- Bryan Caplan advises daughters not to adopt feminist victim mentality as it fosters harmful antipathy and self-pity.
- Instead, he encourages making friends, especially with men, to access supportive networks and opportunities.
