Feminism’s Overreach and Society’s Inevitable Pushback
By Ryan Thompson
Feminism started as a movement for equality, empowerment, and justice, but as history has shown time and time again, movements that become too extreme often face a fierce and inevitable pushback. Over the past few decades, certain feminist movements have pushed past reasonable advocacy and ventured into areas that many perceive as anti-male, anti-family, and socially destructive. From the MeToo movement’s cancel culture to the N.O.W. movement’s radical goals of dismantling the family, these movements have reshaped society in ways that have led to dramatic counter-responses.
Comedians, political commentators, and even researchers have spoken out about this drastic shift, warning of the consequences. Figures like Jordan Peterson and Dave Chappelle have pointed out how the radical feminist narrative has often resulted in backlash—sometimes in the form of new laws, policies, and cultural shifts that reverse the movement’s gains. The harder feminism has pushed against the structure of society, the stronger society has pushed back.
Feminism’s Overreach: How Did We Get Here?
1. From Equality to Extremism
The feminist movement started with the noble goal of achieving equal rights for women—equal pay, voting rights, and career opportunities. However, as the movement gained momentum, certain factions began pushing a narrative of systematic male oppression, blaming men for all societal problems while excusing women’s own shortcomings.
The MeToo movement, for example, started as a way to hold powerful men accountable for sexual misconduct. But as the movement progressed, it turned into a public shaming campaign, where accusations alone were enough to ruin a man’s career and reputation—often without due process. Even Chappelle warned about this in his 2019 Netflix special “Sticks & Stones”, stating:
“I said it was going to get worse, and they said I was tone-deaf.”
He was right. Many men who were falsely accused lost their jobs, reputations, and families, with no real recourse. The weaponization of victimhood led to a culture of fear, where men became afraid to work with or mentor women, and dating dynamics were forever altered.
2. Gossip, Reputation Destruction, and Social Aggression
As Jordan Peterson has extensively discussed, aggression is not limited to physical violence. In his interview, Peterson highlights how women tend to engage in indirect aggression, such as:
- Gossip
- Innuendo
- Reputation destruction
Unlike men, who typically engage in direct confrontation, women weaponize social influence to destroy rivals and enemies. This has been particularly evident in feminist circles, where cancellation culture has become a tool of social enforcement.
For instance, if a public figure expresses moderate or even factual opinions about gender dynamics, they are shamed, ostracized, and socially annihilated by online mobs. This behavior isn’t just anecdotal; it’s backed by studies. Research on female aggression indicates that women are significantly more likely to engage in social aggression compared to men.
3. Destroying the Family: The NOW Movement’s Radical Agenda
Feminism’s move away from advocating for women’s rights and towards anti-family rhetoric can be traced back to Kate Millet, the founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW). According to her sister’s account, early NOW meetings included discussions on how to dismantle the family unit and break monogamy through:
- Promiscuity
- Eroticism
- Prostitution
- Homosexuality
This radical push has led to the devaluation of marriage and the rise of single-parent households, with devastating consequences for children. The feminist movement, once about giving women choices, became about dismantling traditional family structures.
Reference for this information comes from an interview with Mallory Millet, the sister of N.O.W. founder Kate Millet titled: My Sister Kate: The Destructive Feminist Legacy of Kate Millett
The Pushback: Society Strikes Back
When a movement oversteps its bounds, society will react. Here’s how that pushback has manifested:
1. The #MeToo Backlash and Due Process Protections
After MeToo’s initial wave, it became clear that some innocent men were being accused without evidence. This led to significant legal and workplace changes:
- Stronger defamation lawsuits against false accusers
- Workplace policies protecting against false allegations
- Judicial skepticism towards unproven claims
People stopped blindly believing accusations and began demanding evidence and due process.
2. The Rise of Men’s Rights and Gender Realism
Men’s rights activism (MRA) has gained traction as more men realize they are being marginalized in workplaces, courts, and social narratives. We now see:
- More discussions on false accusations
- Support for male victims of domestic violence
- Recognition of men’s mental health issues
Even mainstream media has started acknowledging issues like unfair divorce laws and gendered legal biases.
3. Anti-Feminist Policies: Abortion Laws and Gender Policies
Perhaps one of the most significant backlashes to feminist overreach has been the introduction of anti-abortion laws in conservative states. As Chappelle humorously pointed out:
“You pushed too hard, and now the pendulum is swinging back.”
While feminists framed abortion as a right, many lawmakers and citizens saw the movement’s pro-abortion rhetoric as too extreme. This led to a tightening of abortion laws across the U.S., an unintended consequence of feminist extremism.
F.A.Q: Answering Key Questions
Q1: Does this mean feminism is bad?
No. Feminism, at its core, was meant to advocate for women’s rights. However, like any movement, extremism within feminism has led to serious issues.
Q2: Are all feminists part of this problem?
No. Many feminists reject cancel culture, misandry, and social aggression. However, the loudest and most radical voices tend to control the narrative.
Q3: What should be done to correct this?
Balance. Society should:
- Reject feminist extremism while still advocating for equal rights.
- Restore due process for accusations of misconduct.
- Recognize men’s issues as equally important.
Final Thoughts
Feminism has undeniably pushed too far, and society is now reacting. The pendulum swings both ways, and as history has shown, when one side overreaches, it sparks a correction.
Men and women both deserve respect, fairness, and justice. But feminism must return to its roots of equality rather than waging ideological war against men, family, and social stability. If not, the backlash will only grow stronger.
Sources
Here is a list of the URLs from the article along with a summary of each:
1. Jordan Peterson on Gossip, Innuendo, and Reputation Destruction
URL: Jordan Peterson Interview
Summary: This interview features Jordan Peterson discussing how women tend to use social aggression, such as gossip and reputation destruction, as a means of exerting power, in contrast to men’s physical aggression.
2. Dave Chappelle on #MeToo and Feminist Overreach
URL: Wikipedia: “Sticks & Stones”
Summary: Overview of Dave Chappelle’s 2019 Netflix special “Sticks & Stones,” where he critiques the extremism of the #MeToo movement and its unintended consequences.
URL: Washington Examiner Commentary
Summary: A political analysis of Chappelle’s argument on how the feminist movement pushed too hard, resulting in restrictive abortion laws as a societal pushback.
URL: Dave Chappelle on #MeToo and Pushback (YouTube)
Summary: A short clip of Chappelle stating, “I said it was going to get worse, and they said I was tone-deaf,” referring to the unintended consequences of extreme feminist advocacy.
3. Academic Research on Female Aggression
URL: Wikipedia: Sexual Selection in Humans
Summary: Overview of how sexual selection impacts human behaviors, including gender differences in social aggression.
URL: ResearchGate: “The Sword of a Woman: Gossip and Female Aggression”
Summary: A research paper detailing how women use gossip as a competitive strategy, often to damage rivals’ reputations.
URL: PMC Study on Female Social Aggression
Summary: A scientific study explaining why women prefer indirect aggression (gossip, exclusion, innuendo) over direct physical aggression.
4. History of the Feminist Movement in the U.S.
URL: YouTube: The History of the National Organization for Women (NOW)
Summary: A deep dive into the founding of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and its radical early goals, including dismantling the nuclear family and patriarchal structures.
URL: Parliament of Australia aph.gov.au: My Sister Kate: The Destructive Feminist Legacy of Kate Millett
Summary: In the article “My Sister Kate: The Destructive Feminist Legacy of Kate Millett,” Mallory Millett reflects on her sister Kate Millett’s influential role in second-wave feminism and critiques the movement’s impact on society.
