Post-racial feminism and the reaffirmation of whiteness

Holly Randell-Moon

doi:10.4324/9781003316954-4

Post-racial feminism and the reaffirmation of whiteness

Research output: Book chapter/Published conference paper › Chapter

Abstract

This chapter situates contemporary popular feminisms in a historical and ideological context of liberalism, neoliberalism and purported feminist ‘crisis’ which serves to reaffirm whiteness. Focusing on a series of online news cycles regarding female celebrities Kaley Cuoco, Taylor Swift and Emma Watson during 2014–2015, I examine how these celebrities are frequently asked to affirm or explain their relationship to feminism. I highlight the utility of ‘post-racial feminism’ for emphasising how the online communication of feminist knowledge is based on correcting and rehabilitating popular understandings of feminism. I explicitly link practices of correction and rehabilitation to whiteness. In particular, I examine how whiteness informs the alignment of feminist discourse to the attention economies of online communication.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Gender, feminist and queer studies
Subtitle of host publication	Power, privilege and inequality in a time of neoliberal conservatism
Editors	Donna Bridges, Clifford Lewis, Elizabeth Wulff , Chelsea Litchfield, Larissa Bamberry
Place of Publication	Abingdon, Oxon
Chapter	2
Pages	22-34
Number of pages	13
Edition	1st
ISBN (Electronic)	9781003316954
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003316954-4
Publication status	Published - Jul 2024

Publication series

Name	Gender, Feminist and Queer Studies

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10.4324/9781003316954-4

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abstract = "This chapter situates contemporary popular feminisms in a historical and ideological context of liberalism, neoliberalism and purported feminist {\textquoteleft}crisis{\textquoteright} which serves to reaffirm whiteness. Focusing on a series of online news cycles regarding female celebrities Kaley Cuoco, Taylor Swift and Emma Watson during 2014–2015, I examine how these celebrities are frequently asked to affirm or explain their relationship to feminism. I highlight the utility of {\textquoteleft}post-racial feminism{\textquoteright} for emphasising how the online communication of feminist knowledge is based on correcting and rehabilitating popular understandings of feminism. I explicitly link practices of correction and rehabilitation to whiteness. In particular, I examine how whiteness informs the alignment of feminist discourse to the attention economies of online communication. ",

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editor = "Donna Bridges and Lewis, {Clifford } and {Elizabeth Wulff} and Chelsea Litchfield and Larissa Bamberry",

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Post-racial feminism and the reaffirmation of whiteness. / Randell-Moon, Holly.
Gender, feminist and queer studies: Power, privilege and inequality in a time of neoliberal conservatism. ed. / Donna Bridges; Clifford Lewis; Elizabeth Wulff; Chelsea Litchfield; Larissa Bamberry. 1st. ed. Abingdon, Oxon, 2024. p. 22-34 (Gender, Feminist and Queer Studies).

Research output: Book chapter/Published conference paper › Chapter

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Post-racial feminism and the reaffirmation of whiteness

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