Feminazi

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Feminazi is a pejorative term used to characterize feminists. It is used predominantly in North America by social conservatives to refer to feminists whom they perceive as intolerant of conservative views.[1][2][3][4] It is also used by others to refer to a feminist who he or she considers extreme or militant. The term does not relate to the National Socialist Women's Organization or any other organization of women supporting Nazi Germany or Neo-Nazi organizations.

Contents

[edit] Usage

Feminazi is a portmanteau of the nouns feminist and Nazi. The on-line version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term as used in a "usually disparaging" manner, to describe "an extreme or militant feminist".[5] In colloquial usage, "Feminazi" has been used as a derogatory way to refer to a lesbian, regardless of whether or not she identifies herself as a feminist. [6]

[edit] Popularized by Rush Limbaugh

The term was popularized by conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, who credited his friend Tom Hazlett, a professor of law and economics at George Mason University, with coining the term.[4] Limbaugh originally stated that the word “feminazi” not only referred to an extreme feminist but to a woman whose goal was that there should be as many abortions as possible, saying at one point that there were fewer than twenty-five true feminazis in the U.S.[7]

Though Limbaugh has claimed these limits to the definition of the term, in practice he has employed it in a much wider context. For example, on April 26, 2004, Limbaugh said, “Some funny comments from the feminazis at the pro-abortion rally in Washington yesterday. Not many. It didn't take long for us to put together our montage, but we'll let you hear it when we come back.” Limbaugh referred to the March for Women's Lives.[8] The march's organizers estimated that 1.15 million people attended.[9]

Limbaugh has also used the term to refer to members of the National Center for Women and Policing, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and the National Organization for Women — which has over 500,000 members.[10][11][12]

Among those named as "Feminazis" was noted Women's Gender and Sexuality scholar, and author of "Reading Oprah: How Oprah's Book Club Changed the Way America Reads," Cecilia Konchar Farr.

[edit] Response

[edit] Persecution of feminists in Nazi Holocaust

Some consider conservatives’ use of the term “feminazi” ironic because German feminists and other political dissenters were among the victims of Nazi concentration camps and Nazi work camps.[13][14][15] Gloria Steinem said in an interview, "Hitler came to power against the strong feminist movement in Germany, padlocked the family planning clinics, and declared abortion a crime against the state--all views that more closely resemble Rush Limbaugh’s."[14] Many prominent German feminists like Helene Stöcker, Trude Weiss-Rosmarin and Clara Zetkin were forced to flee Nazi Germany. Nazi philosophy explicitly opposed gender equality.

[edit] Term used to minimize progress

Liberal feminists have argued the term is used as a way to dismiss all feminism and any group run by (or for) women as being extreme. (An example of this can be seen when Rush Limbaugh referred to the National Center for Women and Policing as feminazis - Rush Limbaugh Show (broadcast 22 June 2005).)

Many cultural theorists believe the term "feminazi" is one way in which social conservatives attempt to minimize and marginalize the work of liberal feminists. This work includes equal pay initiatives, sex discrimination and sexual harassment laws, reproductive freedoms, promotion of diversity, and legislation that helps protect women from violence.[16]

Young feminists have observed that social conservatives, like Rush Limbaugh and men's rights groups frequently use the term feminazi to stereotype the entire feminist movement.”[17] As a way to co-opt or de-fuse these derogatory connotations, some feminists have employed the term in a satirical way. One group posts ironical photos and humorous writing on a website as a way to undermine the stereotype.

[edit] Response to men's rights groups

In response to men's rights groups use of the word "feminazi" and other disparaging terms for women, Dr. Michael Flood, a sociologist at La Trobe University's Australian Research Centre in Sex argues "Men's rights groups represent a hostile backlash to feminism... When I interviewed the American activist Victor Lewis, he called them 'status-quo' or 'pro-sexist men's movements'..."[18] Flood also argues that "Some fathers' rights groups send misogynist messages, use strategies such as harassment, stalking and intimidation, and strive to chip away at programs and services for women and children. They deny the extent of domestic violence and offer sympathy to the perpetrators."[19]

[edit] Libertarian response

Libertarian feminists (who should not be confused with liberal feminists with whom they are often in opposition) have proposed their own term, “gender feminist”, to replace the term “feminazi”.[20]

[edit] Feminazi in popular culture

[edit] See also

Look up feminazi in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Media Matters "Meet the New Rush, Same as the Old Rush; A Media Matters for America Analysis of The Rush Limbaugh Show"
  2. ^ Media Matters
  3. ^ Media Matters
  4. ^ a b Rush H. Limbaugh, The Way Things Ought to Be, Pocket Books, 1992 p.193
    “I prefer to call the most obnoxious feminists what they really are: feminazis. Tom Hazlett, a good friend who is an esteemed and highly regarded professor of economics at the University of California at Davis, coined the term to describe any female who is intolerant of any point of view that challenges militant feminism. I often use it to describe women who are obsessed with perpetuating a modern-day holocaust: abortion. There are 1.5 million abortions a year...”
  5. ^ Online dictionary
  6. ^ NOW Lesbian Summit: Feminist strategies/lesbian issues
  7. ^ Rush H. Limbaugh, The Way Things Ought to Be, Pocket Books, 1992 p.296
    “Feminazi: Widely misunderstood by most to simply mean ‘feminist’. Not so, boob ala [sic]. A Feminazi is a feminist to whom the most important thing in life is ensuring that as many abortions as possible occur. There are fewer than twenty-five known Feminazis in the United States…”
  8. ^ Media Matters "Meet the New Rush, Same as the Old Rush; A Media Matters for America Analysis of The Rush Limbaugh Show"
  9. ^ washingtonpost.com: Abortion Rights Advocates Flood D.C
  10. ^ Media Matters "Meet the New Rush, Same as the Old Rush; A Media Matters for America Analysis of The Rush Limbaugh Show"
  11. ^ Media Matters "Repeating "feminazi" comment, Limbaugh reprises familiar theme"
  12. ^ Media Matters "Limbaugh lashed out at Media Matters and NBC, having declined invitation from Today to respond"
  13. ^ Triangles and Tribulations: The Politics of Nazi Symbols
  14. ^ a b Ask Gloria (second question down)
  15. ^ When is calling a Jew a Nazi not anti-Semitic? When she’s a feminist Jew.
  16. ^ The "Truth" according to Limbaugh: Feminism established "to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society"
  17. ^ Label it... Feminist
  18. ^ "Men's rights groups represent a hostile backlash to feminism, but their efforts in fact are unhelpful and even harmful for men themselves. Michael Flood describes how we can respond."
  19. ^ "Responsible Parenting and Fathers´ Rights: An Interview With Michael Flood"
  20. ^ Good Will Toward Men
  21. ^ Chris Sims (2006). Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires. Prism Comics. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.