Pseudo-feminism

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Pseudo-feminism is the act of using feminist ideas, words, or images to push goals that go against feminism. It lures people with feminist language to support ideas, products, or actions that keep traditional gender roles, objectify women, or harm their rights.

Critics call it pinkwashing—when companies or groups seem to support women’s rights to look good, while practices still hurt or exclude women. It can also show up when people say they are feminists but push misogynistic or anti-feminist views. This can dilute and misrepresent real feminism.

Some critics argue pseudo-feminism damages feminism by co‑opting its meanings and using it for personal or commercial gain rather than true empowerment. It can be a form of cultural appropriation, taking feminist talk without genuinely supporting its principles.

Faux Feminism and three myths
- The Individualism Myth: The idea that feminism is only about individual women getting rich or succeeding at work. This view can pit women against each other and supports a capitalist system that helps only a few, not all women.
- The Judgment Myth: The belief that women should be free to make any choice, with no one judging them. This can be used to excuse inequality, especially when privileged women are not judged while other women are.
- The Restriction Myth: The idea that sexism is just about rules and limits on women. While women face real restrictions, reducing feminism to fighting only these limits can let some people claim to be feminists without truly empowering all women.

Femvertising
Feminist advocate Katie Martell studies how companies use feminist messaging in ads. She tests factors like hiring practices, how ads objectify women, family leave, and leadership diversity. Based on results, she places brands on a spectrum from lip service to genuinely feminist.

In short, pseudo-feminism uses feminist language for aims that don’t help all women, and it can distract from real advances in gender equality.