ABSTRACT
Michele White identifies the reasons why anti-feminisms and anti-feminist practices should be of concern to feminists, humanities and social science scholars, and the general public. White provides definitions of anti-feminisms and straw feminists in order to support critical studies in these areas. She also considers how anti-feminist positions and online sites are linked to the contemporary escalation of online hate and misinformation. Indeed, the constructed straw feminist, who is identified as angry, controlling, and difficult, is designed to simplify and misrepresent feminists and feminisms. Straw feminist practices try to make feminist identities undesirable and unoccupiable. White points to some dismissive conceptions of women that anti-feminists share. Her outline of persistent media stereotypes, including the bad feminist and mother, indicates how such hate and misinformation function. Critically analyzing the constitution of straw feminists and straw feminisms can elucidate strategies for developing and explaining the political and cultural functions of feminisms. White demonstrates how the critical study of anti-feminisms and straw feminisms provides methods of further considering online hate and suggests ways individuals can refute such harm.
