Radical Feminism vs. Authentic Feminism

There are two attitudes with which Catholics should approach social issues: balance and the fullness of the truth. Errors in society, like errors in theology, tend to be errors of overemphasis. This is definitely true of the issue of women’s rights. Authentic feminism is in harmony with the Catholic belief that all human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, and therefore have equal and inherent dignity. However, in their zeal for equality modern feminists have gone overboard. They are trying to erase all differences between men and women. Radical feminism seeks to create a culture of victimhood for women and to erase all gender differences (because differences are inherently evil to the modernist). For example, the United Nations committee “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women” has even attacked Mother’s Day as a form of discrimination.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The CEDAW has been controversial for statements seen by some as promoting radical feminism. Particularly referenced is a 2000 report which said that in Belarus, "the Committee is concerned by the continuing prevalence of sex-role stereotypes and by the reintroduction of such symbols as a Mothers' Day and a Mothers' Award, which it sees as encouraging women's traditional roles." [2] Other controversial positions of CEDAW include supporting the decriminalization of prostitution, criticizing Slovenia because only 30% of children are in daycare, demanding equal treatment for work of "equal value", and a treaty requirement that nations "embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their national constitution or other appropriate legislation."

Catholics should support authentic feminism that promotes equitable employment opportunity and pay, protects women from exploitation, and creates policies that help women to balance family and career. We should be baffled by attempts to legalize prostitution, which would increase the exploitation of women. We should also wonder about the criticism of Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is a celebration of womanhood in the context of familial love.

Radical feminism (what I call “evil feminism”) is creeping its way into politics, and even into the presidential elections. A bill has been introduced in Congress called the “Fair Pay Restoration Act.” On its face, it would seem that such an act would be an example of authentic feminism. Who would not be in favor of women receiving equal pay? Current statistics state that women make $0.70 for every dollar men make in equivalent positions. However, there are two problems. First, as is always the case, the numbers don’t tell the entire story. A comparison of lifetime salaries, or even annual salaries, does not take into account important factors such as maternity leave, interruption of careers to take care of young children, and other influences that are unique to the lives of women. The other problem comes in when you realize that equal pay has already been guaranteed by the Equal Rights Amendment of 1964, specifically Title VII. Under this act, women who feel they have been discriminated against have the right to bring law suits against their employers. So what is the purpose of the Fair Pay Restoration Act? One of its effects would be to extend the statute of limitations for such law suits to two years. Statutes of limitations exist for good reason – with time records are lost, memories fade and evidence becomes harder to find. I worry any time I hear about statutes of limitation being extended or done away with. Other effects of this bill have yet to be uncovered.

This bill has already been used by Barack Obama to garner the female vote. The message being sent is that to support this bill is to be pro-woman, to oppose it to be anti-woman. However, opposition to this bill may be much more a statement of balance. Catholics need to navigate the political waters carefully. The kind of balance Catholics are called to is rare in the political atmosphere where spin is the rule.