Cultural feminism is a branch of feminism that emphasizes the revaluation and celebration of attributes culturally associated with femaleness. Cultural feminism deals with feminism which emphasizes essential differences between men and women that are based on biological differences in reproductive capacity. Thus, it attributes to those differences that are distinctive and superior in women.

It is a political and philosophical movement that started in 1960s and 1970s as a branch of feminism. Cultural feminism focusses on the importance of celebrating women’s differences and recognizing the unique contributions that women make to society and culture. Gender differences are viewed as positive and valuable by cultural feminists, and they argue that these differences should be celebrated rather than erased or minimized. This strand of feminism emphasizes the importance of valuing women’s traditional roles as caregivers and nurturers.

Origin of cultural feminism

Cultural feminism stemmed from the radical feminism of the 1970s, however, the concept of cultural feminism started to take shape in 1843. The term "cultural feminism" was first used in1975 by Brooke Williams of Redstockings.He used it to denounce it and distinguish it from its roots in radical feminism. Other feminists condemn the term cultural feminism as he thought this term was against feminist central ideas. Alice Echols describes this as the “depoliticization” of radical feminism. The work of Mary Daly, especially her Gyn/Ecology (1979), has been identified as a movement from radical feminism into cultural feminism. In her book Woman in the Nineteenth Century, journalist, editor, and women's rights advocate Margaret Fuller initially raised the idea of how men could “inherit the earth” simply if they elevated themselves as emotional beings. Later, activist Jane Addams and novelist Charlotte Perkins Gilman also discussed the idea of women’s inherent gentleness as a necessary attribute for cooperation and nonviolence in government leadership.

Cultural feminism vs. Radical feminism

It is believed that radical feminism came from cultural feminism but the two viewpoints differ. Radical feminists explains that male experience is important in running the world and gender roles could not shift because they were so far ingrained in women by the society. Only by overhauling the societal system, they argued, could they ever achieve true progress. Radical feminism is believed in uprooting the ideas of gender differences, whereas cultural feminists emphasizes on the differences and celebrate them.

Cultural Feminist Theory

Officially appearing as a movement in the 1970s, this theory mainly focused on how women can and should use gender roles to their advantage. The term “cultural feminism” was first used by Mary Daly in “Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism” as a way to refer the female energy a women possess. Women have a certain ethic of care, where they are more likely to cooperate and keep the peace, which, in turn, would make for a better world. Cultural feminist theory borrowsthe idea of female-centred culture and connectedness from lesbian feminism.

One of the main aims of cultural feminism is the idea that women’s experiences and perspectives are distinct from those of men, and that they are shaped by a distinct set of cultural and social factors. Cultural feminists emphasize that cultural production and representation is importantin achieving gender equality. It also plays a powerful role in shaping understanding of gender roles and expectations and is essential in creating a cultural landscape that reflects the experiences and perspectives of women.

Cultural feminists are aimed at promoting gender equality and highlighting women’s unique contributions to society. Doing so may include making policies that support women’s access to education and imparting equal representation of women in cultural and political institutions. Cultural feminists also focus on issues related to language and representation. They argue that language can be used both to perpetuate gender inequality or to challenge it. Cultural feminists emphasize on using language that is inclusive and respectful of women’s experiences and perspectives.

Cultural feminism is more concerned with examining how the devaluation or belittling of these traditionally female roles contributes to gender inequality.Apart from redefining these traditional roles, cultural feminists also workson the following:

1.     Giving value to childcare as work ‘and providing salaries so that there is an incentive to remain in the home.

2.     Respecting traditionally “female” attributes such as nurturing, in order to rebalance a culture that overvalues "male" values of aggression and undervalues “female” values of kindness and gentleness.

3.     The creation of rape crisis centres and shelters for women.

4.     An understanding of female sexuality that rejects hierarchies of power.

5.     Equal valuing of "female" occupations including parenting.

6.     Emphasis on the shared values of women from white, African American, and other cultures, more than on the differences of women in different groups.

7.     A female sexuality that is based on an equality of power, based on mutuality rather than control, based on nonpolarized roles, and refuses to recreate sexual hierarchies

Fourkey ideas in cultural feminism:

The key notion of cultural feminism is that it expressly encourages the feminist perspective in terms of a woman’s perceived traits. Some key components of feminism include:

1. Essentialism: This feminism movement emphasizes essentialist ideologies—that men and women are not actually equal, but the differences between them are what make them unique. A woman’s nature makes her special, and ultimately, the male’s oppression of women further suppresses their natural talents and abilities.

2. Separatism: Women need spaces that are wholly their own, where they can fully thrive in their own creative, safe environments free from male participation and involvement. Women’s Liberation Movement group member Brooke Williams initially used the term “cultural feminism” in 1975 as a way to describe the depoliticization of radical feminism and distinguish the two ideologies, believing that an alternate female culture defeated the purpose of feminism.

3. That female nature defines their culture: Cultural feminism believes that women’s culture may originate from either biology or society. For instance, women getslabelledas more gentle and pacifist in nature, meaning they would make better leaders. Or women have a closer connection with the Earth and are, therefore, parallel with nature, making them better at making environmental-based decisions or considering the future of humankind.

4. Weakness as a strength:The goal of cultural feminism is to reinterpret prevailing ideas about what constitutes strength.

Criticism:

While the heart of cultural feminism is to help and encourage women to excel as they are, there are a few criticisms of this feminist movement. Some critiques and responses to cultural feminism include:

1.     It amplifies heteronormativity: Cultural feminism works within heteronormativity and ignores certain branches of feminist thought.It cooperates with the negative aspects of capitalism. Marxist and socialist feminism believes that the capitalist system benefits patriarchal hierarchies and expressly encourages the oppression and subordination of women. In contrast, cultural feminists believe engaging in female-led capitalist systems will eventually help level the playing field.

2.     It creates a new hierarchical society. By revaluing the role and presence of women as more beneficial than men’s more “primitive nature,” cultural feminism essentially attempts to install women as the dominant creatures of society rather than attempting to achieve true equality.

3.     It doubles down on sexism and stereotypes. Cultural feminist activism revolves around the idea that women must redefine and revalue the negative traits that patriarchal systems have bestowed upon them. Women are “nurturers,” and it is that trait they must use to enact progress.

4.     It focuses on separatism. As some cultural feminists in the 1960s lost hope of real social change, the idea emerged for an alternative culture—more female-only spaces where women could exist and lead without any male influence. However, this social construction ignores structural patriarchy as a whole, instead putting physical separation between women and men rather than addressing the root issue of women’s rights and their place in society.

5.     It neglects race. Cultural feminism does not consider varied cultural differences or experiences of women of color or in other countries. Cultural feminism centralizes the plight of the upper-class white women’s experience rather than being truly inclusive of different ethnicities and status.

1.     Hooks, B. (1984). Feminist theory: From margin to center. South End Press.

2.     Tong, R. (2009). Feminist thought: A more comprehensive introduction (3rd ed.). [Internet] [ Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/3178166] [Retrieved on: 2/04/2024]

3.     Icoff, L. (2021). Cultural Feminism versus Post-Structuralism: The Identity Crisis in Feminist Theory. Princeton University Press.[Internet] [Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/2067888/culturepowerhistory-a-reader-in-contemporary-social-theory-pdf ] [Retrieved on: 12/04/2024]

4. Daly, M. (1979). Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism. Beacon House. [Internet][Available at: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/203973/gynecology-by-mary-daly ][Retrieved on: 12/04/2024]

5.     Donovan, J. 2012. Feminist Theory. [ Internet][Available at: https://www.perlego.com/book/1353641/feminist-theory-fourth-edition-the-intellectual-traditions-pdf ][Retrieved on: 11/03/2024]

6.     Echols, A. (1983). The New Feminism of Yin and Yang. New Feminist Library. [ Internet] [Available at: https://monthlyreview.org/product/powers_of_desire ][Retrieved on: 18/02/2024]