*cricket cricket cricket*

So, I recently saw a man on Internet claim:

"Well, that [article on "benevolent sexism"] was all pretty interesting. And strengthens me in the view that much of what goes under the name of cultural liberalism and feminism, is really indescribably silly."

I was pretty excited to learn all about this guy's gender credentials, given his no doubt completely objective ability to dismiss a whole entire subject with one mere bark of a blog comment! 

I was like, wow, I read lots of feminist blogs and authors, but it's not often I randomly and gratuitously come across an expert in feminism who is so very renowned, so genuinely informed and familiar with the entirety (oh, I'm sorry "much") of the feminist canon that he feels confident dismissing it in such a fair, impartial and cocksure manner!

Such an expert would undoubtedly make a great potential guest blogger here in Fannie's Room, don't you think, where he could possibly share expert, commonsensical nuggets of wisdom like:

"Protective paternalism is the benevolent aspect of paternalistic ideology, which states that because of their greater authority, power, and physical strength, men should serve as protectors and providers for women. This protectiveness is particularly strong toward women on whom men are dyadically dependent or over whom they feel a sense of 'ownership' (e.g. , wives, mothers, daughters). 

Well, yes, that seems like just common sense to me. "

And, I don't know, if we're lucky maybe he'd even be willing to do an advice column for the property- er, I mean, ladies.

Anyway, my point is that I got all excited about this prospect since we're always looking for Dudes Who Know Things here in Fannie's Room! So, I asked him:

"Since you’re dismissing 'academic liberal feminism' and 'feminism' as silly, I’m hoping you can shed some light on your specific experiences, expertise, and familiarity with feminism. 

Specifically, what courses in academic feminism have you personally taken that would grant you first-hand evidence to dismiss the entirety of the field? 

What specific books written by actual feminists have you read? Can you tell us anything specific you take issue with the writings of bell hooks? Catherine MacKinnon? Angela Davis? Simone de Beauvoir? Virginia Woolf? Susan Faludi? Naomi Wolf? Kate Millet? Alice Walker? Octavia Butler? 

What feminist blogs, magazines, or other periodicals have you read or do you regularly read that would inform your opinion on the 'silliness' of feminism? Not a fan of Feministing? Shakesville? Skepchick? The Mary Sue? 

I’m not talking about your familiarity with cherry-picked quotes that critics of feminism often cite, and I’m not asking if you’re familiar with the writings of critics of feminism like, say, Rush Limbaugh and his caricatures of all feminists. 

I’m asking what your experience is in actually engaging actual, specific feminist ideas is.Since you have sweepingly dismissed the entire field, is it correct to assume you have direct, first-hand knowledge of pretty much the entire field and body of work?"

Too bad for all of us, he hasn't responded.  

Maybe all that Hugo Schwyer hubbub has soured him on feminism (understandable, am I right?!). Or, maybe he had a bad experience while engaging in an intra-feminist debate about pornography, sex work, and choice. Yeah, I'll bet that's it.

Mmm-hmmm, sure.

Related: So, You Want To Teach the Lady Feminists?