New Feminisms and the Masculinity Crisis: Opinion

Elena Deanda • March 28, 2023


Today, too many in our society demonize the work of political actors who have drastically transformed the lives of almost half of the population for the better. Specific groups of men, mostly located in an online hub called the manosphere, who often self-identify as incels (involuntary celibates), and show neofascist, transphobic, xenophobic, and misogynistic tendencies, have established a culture of hate (both online and off-line) in which people, and more specifically women, are demonized because they believe and work towards the advancement of both gender equality (sameness in rights) and gender equity (fairness in means).

 

This culture of hate somehow leaks and resonates in the general population. As a result, Feminism with a capital F is demonized and becomes the “F” word. The gradual internalization of this culture of hate, and the somehow opaque (or forgotten) gains of the feminist struggle, impacts women too. Many women like me, who did not witness the hardships experienced by our predecessors in getting us many freedoms, often consider themselves outside and not a tributary of this movement. Therefore, many women would say, “I am not a feminist but…” or “I do not identify as a feminist but…” The disengagement between new generations and feminism as a sociopolitical movement seems discouraging — especially when we witness the gradual losses in the U.S. of women’s hard-fought-for rights: the right to reproductive care, to economic equality, to dignified treatment, etc.

 

Yet, by each act of demonization, a new head of the hydra emerges. New feminisms come to the fore surpassing the 20th Century movements that focused either on the politics of identity (necessary for both equality and equity) or on the crisis of capitalism (often overlooking the many colonialisms, imperialisms, or predatory globalizations). Today, these new feminists may not even call themselves as such, but they have a clear goal of placing women as parallels and allies of men and of all the gender spectrum, in the quest for shared, fair, and sustainable good living. Best examples of these new feminisms come mostly from what we call the Global South or the Non-Western world. These are indigenous women in Bolivia or in Mexico, ecofeminists, or decolonial thinkers. They advocate for a society that does not believe that men or women are above nature. These women are not only theorists but also designers, builders, and pillars of communities that seek to balance the human and the non-human. These feminists look both at the social and the biophysical worlds as common places that need to be preserved, cared for, redesigned, and inhabited with dignity, love, and responsibility.

 


As part of the radical ecological democracy movement in India, Vandana Shiva secures seeds for future generations, saving them from the grasp of Monsanto, a company that wants to patent and control future crops. In Cochabamba, Bolivia, indigenous women fought and won against giant multinational Nestlé, which wanted to privatize their rainwater. In Mexico, Mayan female beekeepers also won a lawsuit against Monsanto, this time by creating a coalition composed of Mayan farmers, NGOs, scientists, and international ecofeminists, in order to protect the health of the flowers, of their land, their culture, and more importantly, the health of the Melipona bees, from the toxic effects of glyphosates. In these new feminisms, women see beyond the immediate struggles that polarize our society and thread networks of solidarity and support among different social actors. They note that what is at stake is not a gender war, but the survival of our species and of the non-human species, of the living and of living.

 

Should we call their views both conservative and conservationist? Both traditional and radical? I would dare to do so, and consider these terms not antagonistic but rather connected. Historically, women have been a conservative force in society, in the many meanings of the word. I would argue that women are conservative because of the ethics of care they have historically displayed. These ethics of care seek preservation and human bonding to the detriment of competition and utter destruction — habits historically attributed to masculinity, and more specifically, to a branch of masculinity that we call today ‘toxic masculinity.’ In many ways, women’s conservative nature has also played a role in their rejecting change in society, in order to ‘conserve’ things as they are. This habit contributes profoundly to the strength of the status quo. By holding to tradition, women are thus important for the reproduction of our social and cultural capital and for social stability. 

 

What the new feminisms are bringing to the table is the strength of being conservative, conservationist, traditional, and radical. Ecofeminists are conservationists in their radical approach to living because they go beyond protecting a status quo that is slowly but surely destroying our habitats, our daily lives, and our society’s future. These new feminists apply their ethics of care to both society and nature in order to create the conditions for “Buen Vivir” (“good living”) and “Ubuntu” (“the interconnectedness of both humanity and the world”). By preserving their ancestral cultures, honoring their knowledge, and sharing it with the world, these women show a new politics that is as clear and strong as it is loving and effective. In the ecofeminisms, the decolonial feminisms, the post-industrial and post-development feminisms, it is recognized that reality and society’s stability has only brought us gender inequality, war, destruction, pollution and the demise of the living.

 

I believe that in the agenda of these new feminisms (as in the past, albeit more subtly), men are deeply empowered, too. It is because of the many feminisms and their impacts on society, that other identities open spaces to come to the fore — especially in the LGBTQ rights movement. Furthermore, it was African American women who pointed out the shortcomings of (White) feminism and thus connected this movement to others, such as the civil rights movement, the ethnic struggles, the colonial and postcolonial struggles, etc. As many incels note, these networks of ‘insubordinates’ surely seek to threaten the violence embedded in the status quo. Moreover, men are in tune with this network and its principles, too.

 

Today, masculinities are stopping and reflecting too: they can continue the patterns dictated by hegemonic masculinities that submit both young and old men to unattainable standards and expectations, or they can redesign and embody new ways of being a man. Although women had a sexual and gender revolution in the 60s, men did not get the time and space to experience their own revolution. Therefore, what we call today a “masculinity crisis” as related to other connected ideas, such as “toxic masculinity,” is a misnomer. Men are not in crisis; rather, they are at the dawn of their own (long-awaited) sexual and gender revolution. Young boys and men are questioning what it means to be a boy and a man, and why they need to conform to these categories. Furthermore, men are embodying new masculinities: they are primary caregivers, they practice their vulnerability, and move beyond the tropes of ‘boys don’t cry,’ ‘locker room talk,’ ‘macho men,’ or ‘alpha dogs.’ Men know that they, too, have been oppressed by stereotypes that are ageist, hegemonic, white, capitalist, Judeo-Christian, and Greco-Latin. They are resisting their imposed design: be tough, detached, or dominant.

 

These new masculinities are counter-balanced, however, with many radicalisms and dangers. Many incels, hunkered in asocial tendencies, face psychological challenges that, unfortunately, are not cared for in the society we live in. As a result, a small but impactful number of radicalized young and not-so-young men are responding to the call of rage and, immersed in a gun-centered culture, end up destroying their lives and the lives of the people they encounter. As noted in a recent study about youth mental health, while women tend to suicide in the same situations, men are most prone to both suicide and homicide — and in a small percentage of cases, to consider mass shootings. For each one of them, however, new boys and men are questioning the society they live in, and playing a major role in designing a future that all, and not just a few, can inhabit.

 

Men’s revolution (or ‘crisis’ as they want to call it) will not succeed, however, without women. Only if all the genders talk, for example, as partners and equals, in the middle of the date, at the table, about who pays this time for dinner, about who initiates sex, about how they distribute chores, parental duties, and emotional loads, only then will both the new feminisms and the new masculinities succeed. In these conversations, a trespassing of the binary “men/women” is a given. Our society is beyond the binary and the heterosexual frameworks. Thus, we need to embrace both our testosterone and our estrogen (from an evolutionary biological perspective), both our drive and our care, and all our gender performances, and create networks made of alliances, built with reciprocity, in a place that is common and with an ethics of care.

 

Only care will save us. Being careless or carefree has meant our demise. Being too careful about meeting in the middle, making compromises, giving grace, and having uncomfortable conversations will only stall the possible. Only when being caregivers and caretakers will we preserve our common dignity, the dignity of the non-human, and guarantee a “Buen Vivir” or good living, available to and reachable by everyone and by everything.

 

 

Elena Deanda, Ph.D. (she, her/s, ella), is an associate professor of Spanish at Washington College, where she is also the director of the Black Studies Program. She is president of the Ibero-American Society of Eighteenth-Century Studies, MLA delegate of the 18th and 19th Spanish and Iberian Forum, and guest co-editor of the Journal of Gender and Sexuality Studies 48.2 (2022).

 

Common Sense for the Eastern Shore

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By Jared Schablein, Shore Progress April 22, 2025
The 447th legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly adjourned on April 8. This End of Session Report highlights the work Shore Progress has done to fight for working families and bring real results home to the Shore. Over the 90-day session, lawmakers debated 1,901 bills and passed 878 into law. Shore Progress and members supported legislation that delivers for the Eastern Shore, protecting our environment, expanding access to housing and healthcare, strengthening workers’ rights, and more. Shore Progress Supported Legislation By The Numbers: Over 60 pieces of our backed legislation were passed. Another 15 passed in one Chamber but not the other. Legislation details are below, past the budget section. The 2026 Maryland State Budget How We Got Here: Maryland’s budget problems didn’t start overnight. They began under Governor Larry Hogan. Governor Hogan expanded the state budget yearly but blocked the legislature from moving money around or making common-sense changes. Instead of fixing the structural issues, Hogan used federal covid relief funds to hide the cracks and drained our state’s savings from $5.5 billion to $2.3 billion to boost his image before leaving office. How Trump/Musk Made It Worse: Maryland is facing a new fiscal crisis driven by the Trump–Musk administration, whose trade wars, tariff policies, and deep federal cuts have hit us harder than most, costing the state over 30,000 jobs, shuttering offices, and erasing promised investments. A University of Maryland study estimates Trump’s tariffs alone could cost us $2 billion, and those federal cuts have already added $300 million to our budget deficit. Covid aid gave us a short-term boost and even created a fake surplus under Hogan, but that money is gone, while housing, healthcare, and college prices keep rising. The Trump–Musk White House is only making things worse by slashing funding, gutting services, and eliminating research that Marylanders rely on. How The State Budget Fixes These Issues: This year, Maryland faced a $3 billion budget gap, and the General Assembly fixed it with a smart mix of cuts and fair new revenue, while protecting working families, schools, and health care. The 2025 Budget cuts $1.9 billion ($400 million less than last year) without gutting services people rely on. The General Assembly raised $1.2 billion in fair new revenue, mostly from the wealthiest Marylanders. The Budget ended with a $350 million surplus, plus $2.4 billion saved in the Rainy Day Fund (more than 9% of general fund revenue), which came in $7 million above what the Spending Affordability Committee called for. The budget protects funding for our schools, health care, transit, and public workers. The budget delivers real wins: $800 million more annually for transit and infrastructure, plus $500 million for long-term transportation needs. It invests $9.7 billion in public schools and boosts local education aid by $572.5 million, a 7% increase. If current revenue trends hold, no new taxes will be needed next session. Even better, 94% of Marylanders will see a tax cut or no change, while only the wealthiest 5% will finally pay their fair share. The tax system is smarter now. We’re: Taxing IT and data services like Texas and D.C. do; Raising taxes on cannabis and sports betting, not groceries or medicine; and Letting counties adjust income taxes. The budget also restores critical funding: $122 million for teacher planning $15 million for cancer research $11 million for crime victims $7 million for local business zones, and Continued support for public TV, the arts, and BCCC The budget invests in People with disabilities, with $181 million in services Growing private-sector jobs with $139 million in funding, including $27.5 million for quantum tech, $16 million for the Sunny Day Fund, and $10 million for infrastructure loans. Health care is protected for 1.5 million Marylanders, with $15.6 billion for Medicaid and higher provider pay. Public safety is getting a boost too, with $60 million for victim services, $5.5 million for juvenile services, and $5 million for parole and probation staffing. This budget also tackles climate change with $100 million for clean energy and solar projects, and $200 million in potential ratepayer relief. Public workers get a well-deserved raise, with $200 million in salary increases, including a 1% COLA and ~2.5% raises for union workers. The ultra-wealthy will finally chip in to pay for it: People earning over $750,000 will pay more, Millionaires will pay 6.5%, and Capital gains over $350,000 get a 2% surcharge. Deductions are capped for high earners, but working families can still deduct student loans, medical debt, and donations. This budget is bold, fair, and built to last. That’s why Shore Progress proudly supports it. Click on the arrows below for details in each section.
By Friends of Eastern Neck Board of Directors April 16, 2025
Let your elected representatives and business and cultural leaders know that our Refuge and others like it all over the country deserve to be protected. They deserve our stewardship for the natural wonders they shelter, and because they provide refuge for people, too.
By Elaine McNeil April 9, 2025
The Budget Deficit In a recent debate on closing Maryland’s budget deficit, Minority Leader Jason Buckel, a Republican delegate from Allegany County, made an important point: “The man upstairs has only been there for two, three years. I don’t blame him for our economic failures of the last 10,” referring to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, who was elected in 2022. Ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial elections, Buckel’s comments highlight a key reality that many of his Republican colleagues seldom admit: It isn’t right to blame Gov. Moore for a budget deficit that has been brewing for years. Now projected at $3.3 billion, Maryland’s structural deficit is a problem that started long before Moore took office. In fact, it was first projected in 2017, during the tenure of former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan. This isn’t an opinion — it’s a fact that Buckel and other lawmakers, including Republican Del. Jefferson Ghrist, have bravely acknowledged. During that same debate, Ghrist remarked that the Department of Legislative Services had warned about this deficit throughout Hogan’s administration, yet he did little to address it. Ghrist pointed out that during Maryland’s “good years,” when the state received a flood of federal covid-19 relief dollars, spending spiraled without regard for long-term fiscal health. Hogan used these one-time federal funds to support ongoing programs, which masked the true state of Maryland’s finances and created an illusion of fiscal stability. Hogan continues to take credit for the “surplus” Maryland had in 2022 — even though experts repeatedly note it was caused by the influx of federal dollars during the pandemic. As Ghrist correctly observed, the lack of fiscal restraint and slow growth during the Hogan years laid the groundwork for the $3.3 billion structural deficit the state faces today. Indeed, Maryland’s economy has been stagnant since 2017, especially in comparison to its neighboring states, well before Moore took office. Compounding these challenges are President Donald Trump’s reckless layoffs and trade wars with our allies. Thousands of federal workers who live in Maryland are losing their jobs, which will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. Trump’s tariffs will also put an enormous strain on local businesses, including Eastern Shore farmers, who are now subject to up to 15% retaliatory tariffs on chicken, wheat, soybeans, corn, fruits, and vegetables. FY2026 Budget Considering this grim reality, Maryland’s lawmakers are making difficult, but necessary, decisions to shore up the state’s finances. Gov. Moore and state legislative leaders recently agreed to a budget that prioritizes expanding Maryland’s economy without raising taxes on most residents. In fact, 94% of Marylanders should see either a tax cut or no change at all to their income tax bill under the proposed agreement. Lawmakers also plan to cut government spending by the largest amount in 16 years, while at the same time making targeted investments in emerging industries, such as quantum computing and aerospace defense, so the state is less dependent on federal jobs. While the richest Marylanders might see their income taxes go up, it’s reasonable to ask someone making over $750,000 a year to pay $1,800 more to support law enforcement, strengthen our schools, and grow our economy. As for the proposed tax on data and IT services, these products aren’t subject to Maryland’s sales tax under current law. Maryland leaders want to modernize our tax code by levying a 3% sales tax on these products. Because they don’t raise income taxes on the majority of Marylanders and because state leaders are also cutting spending by billions, these ideas are fair. They’re also necessary after Gov. Hogan chose to kick the can down the road instead of addressing Maryland’s long-predicted deficit and now that Trump’s policies will lay off thousands of Marylanders and his tariffs will hurt our state. By making responsible choices now, Maryland leaders are putting the state on a path to long-term economic stability. Their decisions will help Maryland thrive, create jobs, and invest in the vital services that every resident relies on — without burdening hardworking families. I’m confident Maryland will emerge stronger, more resilient, and ready to lead in the industries of tomorrow. Elaine McNeil is chair of the Queen Anne’s Democratic Central Committee.
By John Christie April 2, 2025
Among Donald Trump’s most recent targets is what he calls “rogue law firms.” At 6pm last Thursday, March 27, he issued an Executive Order (EO) aimed at my old law firm, WilmerHale, as one of those “rogue” firms. Approximately 15 hours later, the firm filed a 63-page complaint challenging the EO on multiple constitutional grounds. The EO is an “unprecedented assault on the bedrock principle that one should not be penalized for merely defending or prosecuting a lawsuit” and constitutes an “undisguised form of retaliation for representing clients and causes Trump disfavors.” And by 8pm on Friday, March 28, a little over 24 hours after the EO was first issued, a federal district court judge in Washington granted a request for a temporary restraining order, blocking key provisions of the EO from taking effect for now. In doing so, the Court found that “the retaliatory nature of the EO is clear from its face. There is no doubt that it chills speech and legal advocacy and qualifies as a constitutional harm.” The Executive Order The EO and a so-called “Fact Sheet” that went with it recites that the Administration is committed to addressing the significant risks associated with law firms, particularly so-called “Big Law” firms that engage in conduct detrimental to critical American interests. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) is yet another law firm said to have abandoned the legal profession’s highest ideals and abused its pro bono practice by engaging in activities that “undermine justice and the interests of the United States.” The specific examples offered in support of this conclusion: The EO asserts that WilmerHale “engages in obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends,” an apparent reference to the firm’s representation of Trump’s political opponents — namely the Democratic National Committee and the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The EO cites WilmerHale’s “egregious conduct” in “supporting efforts to discriminate on the basis of race,” an apparent reference to the firm’s representation of Harvard in the Students for Fair Admissions litigation. The EO accuses WilmerHale of “backing the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes,” an apparent reference to the firm’s litigation related pro bono practice and successful challenges to immigration related policies. The EO accuses WilmerHale of “furthering the degradation of the quality of American elections,” an apparent reference to the film’s involvement in challenges to restrictive state voter-identification and voter-registration laws. The EO singles out certain current and former WilmerHale partners, including Robert Mueller, for special criticism by describing Mr. Mueller’s investigation as “one of the most partisan investigations in American history” and having “weaponized the prosecutorial power to suspend the democratic process and distort justice.” The EO then Revokes security clearances held by WilmerHale attorneys; Prohibits the federal government from hiring WilmerHale employees absent a special waiver; Orders a review and the possible termination of federal contracts with entities that do business with the firm; Calls for the withdrawal of government goods or services from the firm; and Calls for restrictions on the ability of WilmerHale employees to enter federal buildings (presumably including federal courthouses) and on their “engaging” with government employees. WilmerHale’s Complaint WilmerHale engaged Paul Clement, a former Solicitor General during the George W. Bush administration and a well-known advocate frequently representing conservative causes, to represent the firm in this matter. Assisted by some 15 WilmerHale litigators, the complaint names the Executive Office of the President and 48 other Departments, Commissions, and individual Officers in their official capacity as defendants. A variety of constitutional violations are alleged: The First Amendment protects the rights of WilmerHale and its clients to speak freely, and petition the courts and other government institutions without facing retaliation and discrimination by federal officials. The separation of powers limits the President’s role to enforcing the law and no statute or constitutional provision empowers him to unilaterally sanction WilmerHale in this manner. The EO flagrantly violates due process by imposing severe consequences without notice or an opportunity to be heard. The EO violates the right to counsel protected by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments and imposes unconstitutional conditions on federal contracts and expenditures. The complaint alleges that WilmerHale has already suffered irreparable damage in the 16 hours since the EO issued. The firm has been vilified by the most powerful person in the country as a “rogue law firm” that has “engaged in conduct detrimental to critical American interests. The EO will inevitable cause extensive, lasting damage to WilmerHale’s current and future business prospects. The harm to the firm’s reputation will negatively affect its ability to recruit and retain employees. Further Proceedings Temporary restraining orders constitute emergency relief upon a showing of likely success on the merits and irreparable harm were the temporary relief not entered. A later hearing will be held in order for the judge to determine whether a preliminary injunction should be issued preventing the government from executing the EO during the continued length of the litigation. Editorial Note: In light of the recent capitulation of several “Big Law” firms to the unreasonable and unconstitutional attacks by the Trump administration, WilmerHale is providing a blueprint for resistance as it fights back. More law firms need to be inspired by WilmerHale’s response to Trump’s demand for revenge on his so-called political enemies. John Christie was for many years a senior partner in a large Washington, D.C. law firm. He specialized in anti-trust litigation and developed a keen interest in the U.S. Supreme Court about which he lectures and writes.
By Bill Flook & CSES Staff April 2, 2025
Tom Timberman was one of the founders of Common Sense for the Eastern Shore. Sadly, he died last month. He will be missed. Common Sense exists because of his leadership and inspiration. His vision was to provide factual and timely commentary and analysis on topics that concern people who live and work on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and to provide factual reporting to help readers shape their own lives. It was important to Tom, as it is today to the editorial board, for Common Sense to help voters to be aware of the effects — personal and local — of decisions made at the federal and state levels. Especially relevant now is this from our Mission Statement: “We seek an America responsive to its citizens and its constitution.” We reprint this tribute from Bill Flook, President of the Democratic Club of Kent County : Many of us were deeply saddened to learn of TomTimberman’s passing last week. It’s hard to believe that such a strong Democratic voice is gone. I worked with Tom for much of the past decade on many good projects promoting our values and activities, including helping on his campaign for County Commissioner, and I’ll particularly miss following his lead as Captain of the Dawn Patrol. Our group met most Saturday mornings for coffee and some good chat, before heading up to Dems HQ to set up the booth there. We’ll miss you, Tom!
By Jared Schablein April 2, 2025
After over 12 hours of debate over two days (and a whole circus from the other side), the Maryland House of Delegates has passed HB 350, this year's state budget, and sent it to the State Senate. This budget is a deal between House Democrats, Senate Democrats, and Governor Wes Moore. It faces our state's $3 billion deficit head-on not with fantasy math, but with real choices: smart cuts and fair new revenue. This is what grown-up governing looks like. How We Got Here: Maryland’s budget problems didn’t start overnight. Leaders began warning about a shortfall in 2017 when Governor Larry Hogan was in office. Hogan made our state budget bigger every year, but the legislature wasn’t allowed to move money around or make common-sense changes. By law, they could only make cuts. In 2020, Maryland voters changed that. Starting in 2023, lawmakers finally got full power to shape the budget, not just cut from it. Instead of fixing the problem, Governor Hogan used federal COVID relief to hide our fiscal instability. Then, before leaving office, he drained our state’s savings from $5.5 billion to $2.3 billion to boost his image. Today, we are facing a new fiscal arsonist. Donald Trump’s trade wars and cuts to federal programs hit Maryland hard. We have more federal jobs and agencies than any other state, so we felt it worse than most. A University of Maryland study says Trump’s tariffs alone could cost us $2 billion. Trump/Musk's policies caused over 30,000 people in Maryland to lose their jobs, offices to shut down, and promised investments to disappear. These federal cuts added another $300 million to our budget deficit. COVID relief gave us a short break and even created a fake surplus under Hogan, but that money is gone now. Meanwhile, housing, healthcare, and college prices have gone way up. The Trump–Musk White House is making it worse by cutting even more funding, eliminating research, and gutting the services we rely on. That’s why Maryland had to act. We needed a real plan to protect working people, fund our schools and hospitals, and keep our state strong. Why Cuts Were Needed Trump’s trade wars and cuts to federal agencies hit Maryland harder than any other state. A University of Maryland study says those tariffs alone could cost us $2 billion. That hurts real people: A chicken farmer on the Eastern Shore is paying 25% more for fertilizer. A dock worker in Baltimore has fewer ships to unload. A restaurant owner in Western Maryland can’t afford eggs and tomatoes. We’ve lost over 30,000 jobs. Offices have shut down. Promised investments disappeared. The decisions of the Trump/Musk administration added $300 million to our state deficit.
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