Individualist feminism

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'''Individualist feminism''', also known as '''libertarian feminism''', is a term used by [[right-wing]] critics of [[feminism]] who posit that the way to equality for women is through achieving equal ''individual'' rights for everyone without regard to gender. This contrasts with modern mainstream feminism, which considers women as an [[Identity politics|identity group]] and focuses on securing rights for all women within that framework. In [[Europe]], Individualist feminism is also called '''liberal feminism''' or '''classical-liberal feminism'''.(A case in point is feminists who participate in the [[Free Democratic Party]].)

Individualist feminists generally believe that women should exercise [[Blaming the victim|personal responsibility]] for their own lives. It also opposes any government interference an individual makes with her own body (such as restrictions on [[abortion]] or [[pornography]]).

Well-known exponents of individualist feminism include the [[anarcho-capitalist]] Wendy McElroy, and the art historian [[Camille Paglia]]. [[John Stuart Mill]], a 19<sup>th</sup>-century [[classical liberal]] [[philosopher]], along with his wife Harriet Taylor — both of whom are major forebears of feminist thought - held views that align with the concept of individualist feminism, expressing the importance of both personal identity and gender equality in a liberal democracy.

While on the surface it may seem like another variety of feminism, one should be highly skeptical of the [[Concern trolling|motivations]] of those promoting them. Wendy McElroy has engaged in typical [[conservative]] [[rape apology]]<ref>[https://www.libertarianism.org/columns/review-rape-culture-hysteria-fixing-damage-done-men-women-wendy-mcelroy "A Review of Rape Culture Hysteria: Fixing the Damage Done to Men and Women by Wendy McElroy"], Sharon Presley, libertarianism.org</ref> (complete with arguments that systemic social issues don't exist and concern trolling about [[due process]]). [[Christina Hoff Sommers]] has spent the last two decades and a half attempting to discredit feminism. Camille Paglia wrote an article titled, "It's A Man's World And Always Will Be" and claims men alone were behind modern advances.<ref>[https://ideas.time.com/2013/12/16/its-a-mans-world-and-it-always-will-be/ It’s a Man’s World, and It Always Will Be: The modern economy is a male epic, in which women have found a productive role —— but women were not its author] by Camille Paglia (Dec. 16, 2013) ''Time''.</ref> Moreover, their denial of systemic social issues that affect women falls in line with the libertarian tendency of justifying oppressive social structures by making appeals to the preservation of "individuality" and "[[freedom]]".

<gallery>
File:Christina Hoff Sommers on Louder with Crowder.jpg|Christina Hoff Sommers
File:Wendy-McElroy-200x200-dpi.jpg|Wendy McElroy
File:Harriet Mill from NPG.jpg|Harriet Taylor Mill
File:John Stuart Mill by John Watkins, 1865.jpg|John Stuart Mill
File:Camille Paglia.jpg|Camille Paglia
</gallery>

==External links==
* [http://www.ifeminists.com iFeminists] an individualist feminist-oriented news site
*[http://charleswjohnson.name/essays/libertarian-feminism/ Libertarian Feminism: Can This Marriage Be Saved?] by Roderick Long and Charles Johnson
* [http://www.theindividualistfeminist.com The Individualist Feminist] blog

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{stub|philosophy}}

[[Category:Libertarianism]]
[[Category:Classical liberalism]]
[[Category:Feminism]]

Categories: Libertarianism, Classical liberalism, Feminism