you know how people are calling everything a recession indicator these days? I propose we start calling shit out for being backlash indicators.
If you haven't read Backlash by Susan Faludi (go do so: there's free pdfs online), the basic theory is this. As women gain hard-won rights and independence, society goes through a period of tolerance where feminism almost becomes the norm, butttt ultimately the forces of patriarchy + capitalism feel threatened by the smallest step of progress. These forces snap back hard in the media, culture, churches, and workplace, and they all try to insidiously manipulate women back into the familiar oppressed status by subtly suggesting that feminism, not society, is to blame for all of their current struggles. Meanwhile, commercial forces push hard for gendered products (that usually demean and objectify women) to profit from and perpetuate the cycle.
Faludi describes this as a cycle that seems to peak every 20 years or so, reliably going back to the 1920s when women gained suffrage in the USA. The book focuses on the 1980s Backlash era; I'd argue we felt Backlash also in the 2000s and now we're entering a Backlash period again in the 2020s.
Based on that description, I'm sure you can already think of examples of backlash indicators in today's society. (and please do share examples! we need to wake people up to this cycle)
I'll start. Backlash indicator I saw yesterday, it was so absurd I couldn't help but laugh: Monster's got a new energy drink for women. FLRT. Meet your new crush in a can. (barf)
Note that this lineup is sugar free (women need to watch their weight) and randomly supports things like skin and hair health (women need to focus on being pretty).
Note also that Monster energy drinks are on their own *very popular* with women and teenage girls. They've got multiple pink colored cans for one thing to cater to this market. Teen girls are probably the main demographic keeping them afloat. They've captured that market already. Why feel the need to make Monster: for girls ?? And in such a demeaning way??
What else could it be? Backlash indicator.
