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Is There a Conservative Feminism? An Empirical Account

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2018

Ronnee Schreiber
Ronnee Schreiber*
Affiliation:
San Diego State University
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Abstract

The question of conservative feminism in the United States did not really arise before the 2008 elections; most politically active conservative women leaders did not refer to themselves as feminists. Sarah Palin's vice presidential bid, however, prompted a shift. On a number of well-publicized occasions, Palin called herself a feminist, generating considerable discussion over whether conservative feminism is now a political movement. Using data from in-depth interviews with conservative women leaders, this article asks whether conservative women in the United States identify as feminists. Findings indicate that on the whole they do not, but conservative women are important gender-conscious political actors whose efforts compel questions about ideology and women's activism. Implications for understanding feminist and conservative movement politics more broadly are also explored.

Type
Research Article
Information
Politics & Gender , Volume 14 , Special Issue 1: Gender and Conservatism , March 2018 , pp. 56 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association 2018 

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