iFeminism
Through a syndicated editorial, I found my way to the Individual Feminists’ Website: ifeminists.com. My Microsoft-washed mind at first jumped to the conclusion that the catchy name ifeminism referred to an internet based movement - very 21st century. However, some further research showed that the ifeminist movement is very old, dating back to the anti-slavery movement of the 19th century, sans the nifty moniker, of course.
Those issues aside, what prompted me to mention the ifeminists was my fascination with them. I hesitated to even follow a link leading to a feminist site, knowing that mainstream feminism is at odds with many of my core values. However, my curiousity overcame and I arrived at this strange place. The FAQ page features tidbits such as the following:
What is ifeminism?
Individualist feminism, or ifeminism, advocates the equal treatment of men and women as individuals under just law. The core principle of individualist feminism is that all human beings have a moral and legal claim to their own persons and property. It is sometimes called libertarian feminism.
Isn’t government trying to help women?
Governments have been the greatest violators of women’s rights for centuries. In the 18th and 19th centuries in America, government denied to women the most basic rights of controlling their own bodies (e.g., birth control) and their own property (e.g., wives did not have an uncontested claim to their own wages). By the late 20th century, government cemented gender hostility into society by assuming a paternalistic role that advantaged women at the expense of men (e.g., affirmative action). Whether through privilege or oppression, governments seem unwilling to respect the full and equal individual rights of women.
Opposing affirmative action and defending property rights is generally associated with conservatives. Isn’t ifeminism just conservative feminism?
Many conservatives are uncomfortable with the way ifeminism embraces radical civil liberties. For example, ifeminism calls for the decriminalization of prostitution and pornography. To an ifeminist, there is no schism between economic and civil liberties. They are both expressions of an individual’s right to use her own body and property in any peaceful manner she chooses.
And the most intriguing:
Does this mean ifeminism supports abortion rights?
This is a controversy within ifeminism. The majority of opinion is pro-choice on the grounds of a woman’s self-ownership. A vocal minority within ifeminism, however, oppose abortion. They believe that the developing fetus can rightfully claim the same human rights as a newborn baby.
In their website, ifeminists denounce unversity Women’s Studies programs, saying Women’s studies programs are a good example of why universities should not be publicly funded. Many people find that their tax dollars are funding poor scholarship and dissemination of offensive and inaccurate information in the name of women’s studies.
While some aspects of ifeminism are still difficult for me to embrace, I find the view refreshing, if not a little too Ayn Randesque in its religious zeal for individualism and the free market. After all, how many feminists philosophies would even entertain negative notions of abortion and Women’s Studies?
Here I again link to the website, specifically to a well-written review of a recent editorial. I am not necessarily embracing ifeminism. I am simply putting this out there.