Is Sarah Palin a feminist?

Palin is calling for a new, "conservative feminism." But liberals say she's hijacking the cause in the name of politics that restrict women's freedom

Does Sarah Palin promote women's rights?
(Image credit: Corbis)

Sarah Palin has made feminism the newest battleground in the culture wars, urging conservative women to "rise up" like "mama grizzlies" and claim the cause of feminism as their own. In recent speeches, Palin has encouraged women on the right to push aside liberal, mainstream feminists, and launch a "new, conservative feminist movement" that supports only political candidates who uncompromisingly oppose abortion. Her call has provoked a strong reaction from liberal activists and pundits, who say Palin is just putting a "feministic facade" on policies that deny women their rights. Do they have a point? (Watch an MSNBC debate over whether Sarah Palin is a feminist)

Sarah Palin is no feminist: Palin's "sisterly speechifying" is just part of a larger conservative bid for the hearts and minds of women by "appropriating feminist language," says Jessica Valenti in The Washington Post. But "what Palin is peddling isn't feminism — it's a manipulated buzzword being used to garner support for a party that time and time again votes against women's rights." Sarah Palin "isn't a feminist — not in the slightest."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us