What does antifeminism mean?
Antifeminism refers to opposition to feminism — that is, resistance to the movement advocating equal rights and opportunities for women, or more broadly to the principle of equality between the sexes. The term can describe an individual attitude, an organized political stance, or a broader cultural backlash against feminist gains. Historically, antifeminist sentiment has appeared at each stage of the women's movement: opponents resisted suffrage in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, contested workplace equality in later decades, and continue to challenge feminist positions on issues ranging from reproductive rights to representation. In modern usage the word carries a largely negative connotation, functioning as both a descriptive label in scholarship and a critical charge in public debate. It is related to but distinct from misogyny (hatred of women) and sexism (prejudice based on sex), though these often overlap in practice.
nounOpposition to feminism, or to the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes as advocated by feminist movements.
- Opposition to feminism or to gender equality as advocated by feminist movements.
- A political or ideological position opposing specific feminist policies or goals.
"The senator's antifeminism became evident when he opposed every equal-pay bill that crossed his desk."
"Her antifeminism surfaced during the debate, when she argued that women's suffrage had gone too far."
"Historians have documented waves of organized antifeminism that arose in response to each stage of the women's rights movement."
Rarely pluralized; the singular form is standard even when referring to multiple instances or movements.
"Scholars have catalogued various antifeminisms across different historical periods."
Antifeminism has been around almost as long as feminism itself — every wave of the women's movement has provoked a counter-movement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of antifeminism
Antifeminism combines the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') with 'feminism', which derives from Latin 'femina' ('woman') via French 'féminisme'. As feminism emerged as an organized movement in the late nineteenth century, the term antifeminism arose to name its opposition, appearing in English by the early twentieth century. It shares its roots with words such as feminine, feminist, and effeminate, all tracing back to the Latin femina.
Related word forms
How antifeminism is actually used
Antifeminism is typically used in formal, academic, and journalistic contexts. It carries a strongly negative connotation in most contemporary discourse, since it names opposition to gender equality. It should not be conflated with mere disagreement over particular feminist claims — the term usually implies a broader oppositional stance.
Easily confused with antifeminism
Misogyny is hatred or contempt for women specifically, whereas antifeminism is opposition to feminist ideas and movements, which may be held without personal animosity toward women.
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on sex in general, while antifeminism is a specific stance against feminism and its goals.