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What Makes a Liberal Feminist? Identifying Predictors of Women's and Men's Liberal Feminist Ideology
  • Brenda Russell,
  • Debra Oswald,
  • MaryKate Cotter
Brenda Russell
The Pennsylvania State University Berks

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Debra Oswald
Marquette University
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MaryKate Cotter
The Pennsylvania State University Berks
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Abstract

In the wake of the #Metoo movement, liberal feminism has garnered the spotlight on equal rights for women. However, what factors contribute to men and women developing liberal feminist ideologies? This is important to understand as this ideology is predictive of support for political and social policies that are currently under debate in the United States. In this survey study (149 heterosexual men and 233 heterosexual women) we examined attitudinal and ideological variables that underlie liberal feminist ideology. The results of this study indicate that men scored significantly lower on liberal feminist ideology and significantly higher on traditional attitudes toward women, hostile and benevolent sexism, gender-specific justification, rape myths and conservative political affiliation compared to women. Furthermore, traditional attitudes toward women, hostile and benevolent sexism, gender-specific justification, rape myths, political leanings, and gender accounted for almost 70 percent of the variance in liberal feminist ideology. Participant gender did not moderate the regression analyses, suggesting that men and women are influenced similarly in determining what attitudes predict liberal feminist ideologies. Implications for support for public policy are addressed.
27 Jun 2023Submitted to Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy
28 Jun 2023Submission Checks Completed
28 Jun 2023Assigned to Editor
28 Jun 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
07 Sep 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
25 Sep 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Major
13 Nov 20231st Revision Received
22 Nov 2023Submission Checks Completed
22 Nov 2023Assigned to Editor