'It’s the misogyny, stupid': Libertarian slams Republicans blaming lost elections on 'single women'

14 November 2022

At times, Never Trump libertarian/conservative journalist Cathy Young has been vehemently critical of parts of third-wave feminism, slamming “rhetoric” like “mansplaining” and “manspreading” as the type of “misandry” that “sours” both men and women on feminism and does nothing to advance the cause of gender “equality.” But in an article published by The Bulwark on November 14, MAGA Republicans are the ones Young attacks as sexist — specifically, MAGA Republicans who are blaming single women for the outcome of the 2022 midterms.

Young observes that some members of the “right-wing commentariat,” following the “red wave that wasn’t,” have been bashing “single ladies who vote.” And she cites specific examples.

On November 9, Inez Stepman of The Federalist tweeted, “Millennials will have the highest proportion of unmarried and childless women hitting 40, probably in all of human history. And they will vote to ruin your life.”

“Prager U” pundit C.J. Pierson tweeted, on November 12, “I hope the unmarried women that voted en masse for the Left realize that having the right to kill your unborn babies won’t do you much good when you can’t afford to buy groceries or gas up your Prius.”

Jack Posobiec, described by Young as an “ex-Pizzagater,” tweeted, “The regime wants to turn everyone into unmarried women.” And the Babylon Bee’s Joel Berry was especially vitriolic on November 11, tweeting, “Unmarried women in America are lost, miserable, addicted to SSRIs and alcohol, wracked with guilt from abortion, and wandering from partner to partner. They are the Democrats’ core base now, and the Democrats will do everything possible to manufacture more of them.”

Young comments, “I suppose a disclaimer is in order: I’m a single, childless woman, albeit with no cats. Apparently, like most of my demographic cohort, I’m a pretty happy person. For the record, never-married women are less likely than married women to use antidepressants. If Joel Berry’s tweet purporting to describe unmarried women in America were a questionnaire, I’d be checking ‘no’ on every item.”

In an opinion column published by the Washington Post in 2016, Young argued that “radical feminist” terms like “manspreading” and “mansplaining” aren’t going to win over men and women who equate feminism with “male bashing.” Similarly, her article for The Bulwark argues that right-wing pundits who describe female Democratic voters as “cat ladies” aren’t going to get more women to vote Republican.

“When conservatives respond to unfavorable election results with imprecations against single women and start to echo the more fetid corners of the online ‘manosphere’ with slurs about ‘cat ladies,’” Young writes, “it doesn’t exactly do a lot to rebut the charge that the right’s real agenda is to restore patriarchy and bring those pesky independent females to heel. ‘It’s the misogyny, stupid’ is a message that comes through loud and clear…. Trashing a group of voters for not voting your way is not a great way to bring them over to your side…. Right now, the Republican messaging is pushing gender polarization in a particularly blatant and toxic way.”

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