By: Chloe Panaligan
When people think of feminism and the fight for equality, many think of the fight for equal opportunities and successes. However, it is extremely difficult to measure such successes, as the implications of misogyny originate much deeper than these measurable aspects. Nonetheless, many still emphasize these expectations when it comes to perceiving the progress we have with feminism.
Neoliberal feminism glorifies and puts the successes of white, middle to upper class women at the forefront of their movement. It considers equality in economic agendas as the main idea of feminism, disregarding any elements or advantages that may contribute to these economic successes. Here, they claim that their economic achievements are attributable to their hard work and motivation. The primary goal is to be on top, especially to prevail over the success of their male counterparts, defining progress based on an individual scale. These circumstances are evident in books and biographies like #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso or I am That Girl by Alexis Jones. Media representations, like Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, pinpoints powerful female business women as inspiration to all. This ideology looks at hindrances in a woman’s life as simply a lack of motivation or purpose in life – encouraging others to discover their calling in life. It proposes an image of the “ideal woman.”
However, this is just not the reality for most women. The hardships that most women face are beyond themselves – concepts that they cannot control. Neoliberal feminism has failed to address these issues, and by failing to acknowledge this, this movement deliberately ignores the hardships of racialized, low-income, and marginalized women. This greatly impacts women of colour, especially black women, who cannot attain the same means as white women because the structures and institutions of our countries prevent them from doing so. As a direct consequence, forms of oppression are extended to this day and age.
Neoliberal feminism emphasizes the notion of competition. This is inherently unfair as different people have different vantage points. Neoliberal feminism assumes that everyone starts off on the same foot, and deliberately chooses to ignore the various factors that contribute to one’s place in society. It takes advantage of these advantages, and instead of uplifting one another, individuals are put up against one another. This betrays the main element of feminism, which calls for advocacy for ALL women’s rights and opportunities. White women inevitably are now the face of this movement, as they are seemingly the only ones finding success within its ideals.
Promoting these individualistic ideologies are extremely detrimental to the lives of Black women. Within their lives, their successes are not set out for them, and opportunities are most certainly not as attainable as the ones available to white women. Unlike white women, the lives of Black women are narrated by overarching structures of racism and prejudice – structures that are beyond their control. As white women establish “step-by-step” instructions on how to achieve success, Black women are left wondering why these steps don’t lead them to the same path. It is very difficult to “take matters into one’s own hands,” when there are multitudes of factors that hinder certain people from doing so. Though everyone can find inspiration from women who have broken barriers and succeeded greatly in a world focused on the successes of men, many cannot allocate the resources and connections that it takes to achieve these means – these are the attributes that neoliberal feminism completely dismisses.
While this form of feminism acts against patriarchal views, and ultimately fosters the progress of women, it enforces a hierarchy among women. More specifically, a hierarchy of privilege is emphasized. Instead of uniting women, the notion of helping one another is abandoned by neoliberal views, as the belief in a “dog-eat-dog world” is encouraged. Through this, solidarity between women is de-emphasized.
With the rise of neoliberal feminism, we see a shift in the views of feminism we have worked so hard to get to. Feminism should be all about abolishing patriarchal views and practices, and creating a vision or system that would be beneficial for all. Turning to the market and the economy inherently goes against feminist beliefs and values, as capitalism and the patriarchy go hand in hand. Adapting to and supporting patriarchal views only allows it to persist, which reverses the progress we and the feminists before us have accomplished. Moreover, the emphasis on these beliefs essentially targets and harms the lives of Black women, and women who are less advantaged than white individuals.