I have long respected the “classical feminists,” those who thought women should be full people (people who are allowed to vote, for example), and then who thought women shouldn’t be confined to motherhood and should be able to have careers and make their own life choices, just like men. Somehow, though, that admirable movement has morphed into one that reduces women to vaginas that only care about abortion and need the government to take care of them. Really, that is sort of the opposite of what people like Susan B. Anthony probably would have wanted (in spite of what Nancy Pelosi claims Susan B. Anthony’s ghost said while she was sitting on Pelosi’s lap).
Many women are, in response, becoming conservatives (or embracing conservative values). Regardless of the War on Women that all conservatives (including the women) are fighting, conservatism (in the classical liberal sense) is “empowering,” not only to women, but to everyone who should be “empowered” (basically everyone who isn’t a criminal (politicians included)). I think this is a “new feminist” movement. It involves many different things.
For one, women are becoming increasingly proficient in the use of firearms. Little empowers someone like being able to defend themselves and their property, or, if necessary, their liberty. On the other hand, the “old” feminists (not the classical feminists, but the talking vaginas) would prefer the government to defend them. Because the government isn’t very good at that (police are good at their jobs, in general, but they simply can’t be everywhere), this leaves these women at the mercy of criminals or tyrants. And being proficient in the use of firearms has some kind of psychological impact as well; these women don’t have to be afraid, and they know that. Being able to use a firearm is like saying “f*ck you” to a potential rapist or mugger.
Another thing, many women are anti-abortion. While, to some people, this position is inherently misogynist and equals the oppression of women, it can be argued that it is the opposite. Especially in places like India, but even in the west, girls are being aborted at much higher rates than boys. Those girls certainly aren’t empowered.
Then there are the women who advocate for freedom in general (women have a long history of this; the founders of the modern libertarian movement were all women). This includes both the freedom to chain yourself to a stove or to found a multi-billion dollar corporation. This is the most empowering thing of all. However, to some pathetic women, it is preferable to have the security they think the government offers. That is easier, because freedom necessarily requires personal responsibility, but it is fundamentally oppressive. So, the left is really the side of misogyny and oppression, not the right. They are waging not only a War on Women, but also a war on everyone else that isn’t a government employee, a lawyer, or someone else who illegitimately benefits from big government (such as union bosses or the CEO of a big bank).
