Individualist feminism

Individualist feminism, also known as ifeminism, is a libertarian feminist movement that emphasizes individualism, personal autonomy, freedom from state-sanctioned discrimination against women, and gender equality.

Overview

Individualist feminists attempt to change legal systems to eliminate sex and gender privileges, and to ensure that individuals have equal rights. Individualist feminism encourages women to take full responsibility for their own lives and opposes any government interference into choices adults make with their own bodies.

Individualist or libertarian feminism is sometimes grouped as one of many branches of liberal feminism, but it tends to diverge significantly from 21st-century mainstream liberal feminism of the 21st century. Individualist feminists Wendy McElroy and Christina Hoff Sommers define individualist feminism in opposition to what they call "political" or "gender feminism". In Europe, individual feminism is more open to the tenets of queer theory and gender mainstreaming. The German individual feminist Mirna Funk separates her feminism from the political mainstream current (she refers to this as "Reihenhausfeminismus"; in English, "row house feminism"), as she emphasizes women's individual responsibility and rejects victimization on one hand, while proclaiming a feminist capitalism on the other, which is criticized by other feminists as "Girlboss feminism".

Beliefs

Libertarian feminists reject gender roles that limit women's autonomy and choice, and assert that strict gender roles limit both women and men, especially if they are legally enforced. Libertarian feminists are critical of using institutional power to achieve positive aims, believing that allowing the government to make decisions on behalf of women may limit women's individual choices. For instance, banning sex work to "protect" women treats women as a monolithic group, rather than individuals, and takes away economic opportunities for women who want to work in the sex industry by choice.

The Cato Institute, an American libertarian think tank, argues that capitalism has given women a higher standard of living, greater access to resources, greater individual freedoms and more job opportunities outside of physical labor.

Individualist feminism conforms to the theory of natural law, supporting laws that protect the rights of men and women equally. Individual feminists argue that government should not prioritize the needs of women over men, nor should it strive to intervene to create equality in personal relationships, private economic arrangements, entertainment and media representation, or the general sociocultural realm.

History in the United States

According to individualist feminist Joan Kennedy Taylor, early organized feminism in the United States was fundamentally "a classical liberal women's movement". First-wave feminists focused on universal suffrage and the abolition of slavery, along with property rights for women and other forms of equal rights.

During the Victorian era and the early 20th century, individualist feminism fell out of vogue in the US and UK as the progressive, labor, and socialist movements began to hold more sway over politics.

Individualist feminism was revived by anti-authoritarian and individualist second-wave feminists in the mid-20th century. According to Taylor, "the political issues that gained wide adherence were the reproductive rights to birth control and abortion, and the Equal Rights Amendment, which (at least in its initial support) was a classical liberal restraint on government." The Liberal Alliance, known as the political home of classical liberalism and libertarianism, also serves as a key platform for individualist feminism.

Nikita Klaestrup has become the most prominent face of individualist feminism in Denmark. She first rose to national prominence during the 2013 local elections, when the Danish tabloid press gave her widespread attention. The unusual combination of her political work and her career as a model drew significant media interest. The newspaper Ekstra Bladet named her the "Election Babe of the Year". In 2015, she garnered further attention when she attended a celebration marking the 110th anniversary of the youth wing of the Conservative People's Party, wearing a strikingly revealing dress with a deep neckline.

Klaestrup's bold appearance sparked some criticism, with detractors accusing her of relying more on provocation than on political substance. One critic even remarked that Klaestrup was "all breasts, not politics". Klaestrup responded confidently to this, stating that she represents the "final stage of feminism", where women are free to do whatever they choose.

200x200px|thumb|right|Ria Schröder, leading figure of the individualist Female Future Forum

As the Liberal Women are relatively small compared to the overall party, efforts to promote individual feminism within the party were particularly driven by members of the Young Liberals. Alongside the "Federal Working Group of Liberal Feminism," (Bundesarbeitskreis Liberaler Feminismus) there exists the Female Future Forum, led by the young politician Ria Schröder. Consequently, there were early structures within the party where individual feminism could develop.

200x200px|thumb|left|Mirna Funk (2015)

The contributions of individual feminist intellectuals in Germany only began to emerge in the 2020s. Here, a clear difference is apparent compared to the USA, where individual feminism has aligned more closely with anti-feminist structures. In contrast, individual feminist activists and intellectuals in Germany are more firmly rooted within the broader feminist structures, making it a recognized feminist movement. In 2022, the German-Jewish writer and journalist Mirna Funk wrote the first German individual feminist manifesto with her book "Who Cares! Von der Freiheit, Frau zu sein" ("Who Cares! On the Freedom to Be a Woman"). In this work, she emphasizes women's individual responsibility and their ability to make personal choices within capitalism while critiquing left-wing feminisms.

200x200px|thumb|right|Ronja von Rönne (2018)

The German writer, journalist, and presenter Ronja von Rönne expressed decidedly anti-feminist views in a polemical article published in the German populist-liberal magazine "Die Welt" in 2015, titled "Why Feminism Disgusts Me." She wrote, "I am not a feminist, I am an egoist. I don't know if 'one' needs feminism in Germany in 2015, I don't need it. It rather disgusts me. Feminism sounds to me as antiquated as the word 'tape jam'." Consequently, she was seen as a German icon of anti-feminism, although she did not want to be labeled as such, feeling that she was being wrongly appropriated. She stated that it was polemical and a spontaneous rant, rather than an anti-feminist contribution. In her book "Trotz" ("Defiance"), published in 2023, she reconciles with feminism and identifies herself as an individual feminist.

Other individual feminists worth mentioning include Janin Ullmann with her Female Finance podcast focusing on women's finances, and Annahita Esmailzadeh with her book "Von Quotenfrauen und alten weißen Männern" ("Of Quota Women and Old White Men"). Additionally, there are left-leaning, social-liberal feminists who seek to enrich the movement with individualistic positions, such as Paulita Pappel, Nadine Primo, and Marie von den Benken.

Sweden

100x100px|thumb|left|Logo of the Swedish Liberals

Sweden is globally recognized as a leading nation in matters of gender equality and feminism, with a broad range of feminist organisations shaping the landscape.

thumb|right|Gulan Avci

Classical liberalism in Sweden finds its home in the party Liberalerna, and its feminist wing, Liberala Kvinnor, is the primary organisation representing individualist feminism in the country. This group has existed since 1936, with its roots tracing back to predecessor movements starting in 1914.

thumb|left|Paulina Brandberg

Prominent figures in Swedish individualist feminism include Gulan Avci and Cecilia Elving, the current chairpersons of the organisation. Individualist feminism also has a strong presence in the Swedish government. Notable self-declared individualist feminists in the administration include Minister for Gender Equality Paulina Brandberg and Minister for Climate and the Environment Romina Pourmokhtari.

thumb|right|Romina Pourmokhtari

Sweden's approach to feminism, particularly in its individualist form, exemplifies a robust commitment to personal freedom and equality within a highly progressive political framework.

Libertarian feminist organizations

Association of Libertarian Feminists

The Association of Libertarian Feminists (ALF) was founded in 1973 by Tonie Nathan and Sharon Presley on Ayn Rand's birthday in Eugene, Oregon, at Nathan's home. In September 1975 in New York City, ALF became a national organization.

The ALF has stated that their purpose is to oppose sexist attitudes, oppose government, and "provide a libertarian alternative to those aspects of the women's movement that tend to discourage independence and individuality." The ALF have opposed the government's involvement in childcare centers, including "zoning laws, unnecessary and pointless "health and safety" restrictions, [and] required licensing." The ALF have also opposed public education, saying that public schools "not only foster the worst of traditionalist sexist values but inculcate docility and obedience to authority with sterile, stifling methods and compulsory programs and regulations." to promote the values of libertarian feminism. F4L are "anti-sexism and anti-statism, pro-markets and pro-choice" and "classically liberal, anti-carceral, and sex positive". They are opposed to collectivism and argue that "treating someone as simply a representative of their sex or gender" is collectivist.

Mothers Institute

The Mothers Institute was a non-profit educational and networking organization supporting stay-at-home mothering, homeschooling, civics in the classroom, and an effective networking system for mothers and freedom of choice in health and happiness. It is now defunct.

Criticism

Criticism of individualist feminism ranges from expressing disagreements with the values of individualism as a feminist to expressing the limitations within individualist feminism as an effective activism. Critics have argued that individualist feminism does not sufficiently address structural inequality. In 1995, American radical feminist Catharine MacKinnon criticized the value of individual choice, saying there were still instances where "women are used, abused, bought, sold, and silenced", especially women of color. In 1999, American feminist Susan Brownmiller suggested that the aversion to collective, "united" feminism was a sign of a "waning" and unhealthy feminist movement.

Notable living individualist feminists

Mimi Reisel Gladstein (b. 1936)
Camille Paglia (b. 1947)
Christina Hoff Sommers (b. 1950)
Wendy McElroy (b. 1951)
Virginia Postrel (b. 1960)
Cathy Young (b. 1963)
Tiffany Million (b. 1966)
Gulan Avci (b. 1977)
Mirna Funk (b. 1981)
Janin Ullmann (b. 1981)
Paulina Brandberg (b. 1983)
Ria Schröder (b. 1992)
Nikita Klæstrup (b. 1994)
Romina Pourmokhtari (b. 1995)

References

External links

Association of Libertarian Feminists
iFeminists
Pro Choice Libertarians
The Mother's Institute
Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA)