There are many ideologies in the world. Populism, Libertarianism, Communism, Capitalism, Anarchism, and the list goes on. Whenever Catholics encounter one, we inevitably ask if there can be a Catholic version of it. And so it goes with Feminism.
Today I want to ask the question... can there be a Catholic Feminism?
To even approach the topic, we have to ask the all-important question:
What is feminism, anyway?
Here is what Wikipedia says:
"Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes."
OK, but one can still ask... what does that mean in practice? What kind of equality are we talking about?
Motte and Bailey Definitions:
This is where I need to point to a rhetorical tactic known as a Motte and Bailey. It is named for the medieval castle design which has a lower area which is less secure with a pathway up to a higher, easily defended fortress.
In public discourse you may find a person making wild claims which are hard to defend. Upon being challenged, the person will retreat to a far more modest claim which is hardly controversial at all. Then, frustratingly, the person will say that was all he was ever asserting.
This cycle of taking controversial positions, but then retreating to uncontroversial ones happens frequently when trying to establish a proper understanding of Feminism. When talking among peers, the most commonly given definition is something like:
"It's about getting legal equality and equal opportunity for women. As well as making sure their dignity and rights are respected in the workplace."
The above definition is essentially what Feminism would mean for countries like Afghanistan. That is to say; in places where there are legal and institutional roadblocks preventing women from having access to the same opportunities as men, feminism would mean eliminating those barriers. It would mean seeking equal opportunity and respect.
That definition is the Motte. Easily defended, uncontroversial. In the Western world the vast, vast majority of people are on board with that agenda. However, if that was all it took to be a Feminist, then everyone in the USA would be one. But it is clear that not everyone is a Feminist.
So what does it mean in our society? If "Feminism" is to be a distinctive activist movement, it must move beyond the goal of simply eliminating institutional and legal obstacles - (a task which is basically accomplished). For it to continue establishing "political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes"... it has to focus on the results.
That definition of Feminism is the Bailey;
"That movement which seeks to establish equal political, economic, personal, and social outcomes between the sexes."
That's where we start to reveal the controversy.
Drivers of Inequality:
One of the most commonly cited statistics when it comes to Feminist activism in the USA is the so-called "pay-gap". It is commonly claimed that women are only paid 80% of what men are paid.
Many people erroneously think this means that if a man and a woman work side-by-side at the same job, working the same hours, with the same amount of experience, the woman will be paid 80% of what the man gets. But that isn't what it means.
Rather, the statistic comes from adding up how much women make in the country and dividing by the total number of women... then doing the same for the men. People who are honest about the statistic will tell you it is mostly explained by the sexes voluntarily going into different careers and many women choosing (and preferring) to stay at home with their kids.
All this is to say; even after you level the playing field and establish equal opportunity, equality of outcome will still be elusive. Men and women are still (on average) temperamentally and biologically different - with the most consequential difference being the potential for motherhood.
These differences affect our career choices on the aggregate and drive inequality. Therefore, to accomplish the goal of equality of outcome, Feminism (in the West) needs to focus its attention on remedying that. And now we get to the rub, my core thesis:
As soon as Feminism crosses over from equal opportunity to equal outcomes, its own logic forces it to see motherhood primarily as a socio-economic liability for women - the impact of which must be mitigated as much as possible, or avoided entirely.
That is one of the reasons why free daycare, free contraception, and unrestricted abortion are critical goals of the modern Feminist movement in the West. Each of those is crucial to mitigating the career downsides of motherhood. It would also be why many Feminists have a low view of stay-at-home-moms.
Yes and No?
With all that said, let's return to the original question. Can there be a Catholic Feminism? Or, can a Catholic be a Feminist?
Here's my take: If one understands the project of Feminism as being about equal opportunity and respect... then the answer is yes. However, that isn't a particularly meaningful designation in the Western world. The vast majority of people are on board with that sentiment. So identifying as a Feminist - if all you mean is equal opportunity and respect - doesn't differentiate you from the vast majority of people.
What is actually meaningful in a Western society is understanding Feminism as a project of seeking equal outcomes between men and women. But that's when we run into the difficulties mentioned above. One of the chief drivers of inequality of outcome between men and women is motherhood. Thus, maternity becomes a problem.
Catholicism (and Christianity more broadly) regards motherhood as an unmitigated good and something to be encouraged. So it is not clear (to me, at least) how the Catholic faith could be adapted to a movement which sees motherhood primarily as a socio-economic obstacle, and has wedded itself to abortion advocacy as a result.
So my final answer is:
"It depends on whether we're talking about opportunities or outcomes. If we're just talking about opportunity and respect; yes. If we're talking about outcomes; probably not."
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