SW - I suspected, from long experience, that claims such as Lori’s usually reflect cherry-picking results, usually from a researcher with a specific, i.e. feminist, agenda. This proved to be the case.The two who have sold their soul to bias and fraud are - the paper is actually comprised of two 2007 studies conducted by feminist scholars Rudman and Phelan at Rutgers.
Whoa, putting the word scholar and feminist in the same sentence has got to be an oxymoron, I am sure. Not only that, how biased, tainted and corrupted is this document going to be and how much credibility does it really deserve ?
Here is the reason why obnoxious male haters like Maureen Dowd (Google it) and other feminists are avoided like the plague they really are. They honestly believe that any male will accept them as they are. It would be akin to being chained to a rottweiler, waiting for an opportunity to strike..
Even feminists don’t want submissive males, which is why so many of them are perpetually single.The above comment give me a warm feeling every time I read it and every time I read an article from another feminist who just refuses to accept her own biology and stupidity. It's party time, every time, big smiles all round. Feminists are still screwing up and it is time they were exposed for the lying amateurs they really are..
From Susan Walsh - Hooking Up Smart..
SW: Oh, I am so glad she referenced that study! I dug around till I found the paper and then proceed to wade into the regression analyses (so you don’t have to). I suspected, from long experience, that claims such as Lori’s usually reflect cherry-picking results, usually from a researcher with a specific, i.e. feminist, agenda. This proved to be the case.Let’s have a look at what this study found. Spoiler Alert: Is feminism in fact “damn sexy?” Nope.
The Interpersonal Power of Feminism: Is Feminism Good for Romantic Relationships?
The paper is actually comprised of two 2007 studies conducted by feminist scholars Rudman and Phelan at Rutgers. Study 1 included 156 female students, and 86 males, all in heterosexual relationships. Subjects got credit for participation and the experiment was run in a lab. A questionnaire asked participants about their identification with feminism, and whether their partner was a feminist. It also asked questions to establish the relative degree of relationship quality, equality and stability.
Fearing that the first study did not adequately incorporate the full range of feminist experience, Study 2 was constructed to include 289 volunteers, 208 female, 81 male.
Rudman had found in an earlier study that “women and men who endorsed beliefs such as “men perform better sexually when they are in charge” and “romance depends, in part, on men being in charge,” showed low enthusiasm for feminism. This suggests that female assertiveness and autonomy, attributes that are instrumental for gender equality, are perceived as promoting sexual conflict. Study 2 afforded a check on the accuracy of this perception.”
The age range was 18-65, and the questionnaire was administered online. Participants were recruited from Craigslist, various Yahoo! and Google Group forums, and two psychology websites. The average education level was 14 years.
This study has been trumpeted by feminists for years, without any justification – well, I take that back, there is one tiny statistic they may take comfort from, which I’ll share in a bit. In fact, the study demonstrates clearly that female feminism has a negative effect on relationships, though not surprisingly, the effect is mitigated if they are in relationships with male feminists.
The Studies
First, subjects were asked if they agree with the statements “I am a feminist” and “My partner is a feminist,” on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree).
Study 1 Mean Study 2 Mean 6.2 6.2 F: My partner is a feminist. 5.4 5.3 M: I am a feminist. 4.9 5.4 M: My partner is a feminist. 5.4 5.7
In other words, the degree of feminist identification among the participants overall was a big meh. Neither study was predominantly feminist in its identification, and no analysis was conducted based on the disparity within this response.
Subjects were then asked a series of question re relationship quality, equity and stablility. In Study 2, a question was added to determine the correlation between feminism and sexual satisfaction in the relationship. According to the researchers, this was because the first study missed the “fish/bicycle” generation of feminists, who were more qualified to weigh in on sexual matters.
Young women’s experience is inarguably limited, compared with older women, vis a vis intimate relationships, balancing them with careers, and with sexual discrimination.”That is not inarguable. I would indeed argue that young women have a very different sexual experience than did the second wave feminists, one with much more physical intimacy and less emotional intimacy as characterized by hookup culture. The erosion of emotionally intimate relationships among young people has been steady since the Sexual Revolution, and picked up steam in the 90s when dorms went coed and hooking up became the collegiate norm.
Here are the correlations derived from the regression analyses. Don’t go away – it’s more interesting than it looks, and I’ll highlight the best bits.
Correlation of Feminism to Relationship Satisfaction Quality Equality Stability Sexual Satisfaction Study 1 Study 2 Study 1 Study 2 Study 1 Study 2 Study 2 Women: Self -.11 -.35 -.20 -.43 -.09 -.24 -.24 Partner .33 .39 .32 .57 .29 -.30 .32 Men: Self .24 -.12 .44 .27 .14 -.27 -.20 Partner -.20 .13 -.29 -.20 -.03 .40 .33
The Findings
1. Being a feminist woman is negatively correlated to all measures of relationship happiness across the board.However, having a male feminist partner was positively correlated. The researchers believe that this is the similarity effect. Women feminists are happiest dating other feminists.
According to the researchers, “It is not clear whether women feminists select like-minded partners or shape their partners’ beliefs.” They acknowledge that asking only one partner in a relationship about views on feminism is problematic, and that future research should attempt to ask both halves of any couple.
2. For men, having a feminist partner correlated to relationship dissatisfaction.“[Men's results] are the mirror image of women’s reports, [and are an indication] that feminism troubles relationships.”3. Relationship length was negatively correlated to relationship equality.The longer women were in relationships, the more disagreements arose around gender roles.
4. Study 2 results were similar.“We found [that] feminism [was] a negative predictor of women’s relationship quality, equality, stability and sexual satisfaction.”
5. The statistic highlighted in yellow is the singular finding that has feminists kicking up their heels in triumph throughout the media.It’s may be the most abused piece of data ever to come out of an academic research project.
Here’s what is says:
81 males, aged 18-55, whiter than the original group (72% vs. 56%) and 10% outside the U.S. found that while being feminist themselves decreased sexual satisfaction (-.20), having a feminist partner increased sexual satisfaction (.33).
Rudman and Phelan were unhappy with their results, and adjusted them for “suppressor variable effects.” Their explanation was weak and did not stand up to scrutiny, in my opinion. This reduced, but did not eliminate the negative results for women’s view of feminism in relationships.
The study authors conclude:
I. Feminist male partners may be important for healthy romantic relationships.
II. Feminism may also be healthy for men’s relationships. First, feminist men in Study 1 reported greater agreement about relationship equality. Second, men in Study 2 reported greater relationship stability and sexual satisfaction to the extent their partner was a feminist.
May be? The study concludes little, and has inspired no additional research since it was conducted. I’m troubled by the merging of Study 2 with Study 1, and I find the design of Study 2 especially poor. The Sexual Satisfaction finding seems flimsy, especially as women in Study 2 still felt that being feminist was detrimental to their own sexual satisfaction.
Obviously, Feministing’s claims are blatantly false. But what do you think about the bigger question?
