There can be few people better qualified to critique the state of Feminism in modern-day Britain than Swayne O'Pie. A former socialist already holding two bachelor degrees, in 1995/6 he took a Masters in Gender and Social Policy. Later studying for a second Masters in Gender and Education, he was elected student Equal Opportunities Officer for 2004/5.
In this book O'Pie convincingly shows that Feminism in Britain today (`Ideological Feminism') bears little relation to the `Equality Feminism' of the past. Its primary objective is to give special advantage and employment to `Professional Feminists'. Feminism has become a lucrative industry employing many thousands of these people (mainly but not invariably women) who continually strive to justify their existence into the indefinite future - hence O'Pie's term `Forever Feminism'. Their `Grievance Gravy Trains' must keep rolling, otherwise they have no jobs.
O'Pie explains that spreading misandry (the hatred of men) lies at the heart of the Feminist project, as is blaming, demonising and punishing men. Feminists deliberately induce fear and loathing of men in women, and especially in young women, the next generation of `gender warriors'. Women are taught that everything with which they are unhappy in society, and in their own lives, stem from the influence of men, directly or indirectly, individually or collectively.
Misandry is spread in many ways including by misandric comediennes and writers. If the type of language they regularly ascribe to men were applied to other groups (e.g. gays, blacks, disabled people, Jews and other religious adherents, women...) there would be an outcry. In some cases they would be illegal `hate crimes'.
O'Pie shows that misandry is now deeply embedded in the worlds of politics, the public and private sectors, the law, media, culture... at one point he states that despite the huge influence of Feminism on modern-day Britain, he's never encountered an in-depth critique of the movement on the radio or television. Nor have I. This might help account for the almost universal unawareness of the dire impact of Feminism in modern-day Britain - what O'Pie terms the `Quiet Revolution'.
O'Pie points out many of the double standards used by Feminists to keep women's anger on the boil. If a man doesn't rise to the level in an organisation which he deems appropriate, he has only himself to blame. A woman facing exactly the same scenario can blame the `glass ceiling' and will be encouraged to do so. If she lands a senior position despite the glass ceiling, but then fails in the position, the failure is due to the `glass cliff' created by men. In this and countless other ways women are infantilised by Feminist thinking, and taught that Feminism protects them, and promotes their interests. It's a cynical fraud.
The replacement of the commendable (and meritocratic) objective of `equality of opportunity' has been replaced in British law by the odious (and totalitarian) objective of `equality of outcome'. It's a good example of `Forever Feminism' and will advantage only the small proportion of women who are highly competitive and ambitious in the workplace, among whom Feminists themselves are disproportionately represented. What a surprise.
O'Pie describes in detail Feminist academics' inventions and exaggerations of information and data to support their cause, and omissions of information and data which don't support their cause. It's conclusively demonstrated that almost all `feminist research' is unsound. Numerous examples of feminist academics admitting the political objectives of their `research' are provided.
O'Pie shows great courage in addressing controversial areas of interest to anyone seeking to understand the true nature of the Feminist mission. The areas include Lesbian Feminism (the book outlines how lesbians, many of them misandric, have played a key role in the `women's movement' since the Suffragettes), as well as Feminist lies and distortions concerning rape, domestic violence, pornography, prostitution, single motherhood, paternal access to children following divorce, men's and women's choices relating to employment, the gender pay gap, the `glass ceiling', and many others.
Virtually the only groups informing British governments on `gender issues' are Feminist groups, often staffed with Ideologues who graduated from university Gender Studies / Women's Studies courses. Along with other people who have studied social sciences, they are almost universally left-wing. In a 2004 survey of sociology professors, 90% reported their personal political convictions as left-wing, only 3% reported themselves to be Conservative voters.
We'd expect Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians to be broadly supportive of Feminism, but O'Pie points out that the current leadership of the Conservative party is actively supportive too, and prime minister David Cameron in particular. One of the coalition government's first actions after assuming power in May 2010 was the enactment of the Equality Bill (2010), despite the gender-related aspects of the Bill having been drafted by the dismal Feminists of the previous Labour administration.
We've waited many years for a book to start a backlash against the scourge of modern Feminism. This book may be the one that does so, and I hope it is. It certainly deserves to be. It's a `must read' for anyone wanting to understand the origins and influence of Feminism in the modern era.