Keep Factually independent

Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.

Loading...Goal: 1,000 supporters
Loading...

Fact check: Despite their constant denial and claims to the contrary, feminism at its core is driven by a hatred of men.

Checked on December 28, 2024

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results

Research across multiple countries and involving thousands of participants has demonstrated that self-identified feminists do not show negative attitudes toward men. Studies found that feminists and non-feminists showed similar levels of warmth and trust toward men, with both groups scoring above neutral in their attitudes. The data shows that 60% of women and 33% of men in the US, and 67% of young adults in the UK identify as feminists.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement omits several crucial pieces of context:

  • Feminism has multiple historical waves and branches with different focuses, from voting rights to workplace equality to intersectional issues
  • Prominent feminist scholars like bell hooks have explicitly addressed men's issues and suffering under patriarchal systems
  • Academic feminist research focuses primarily on studying systemic barriers and biases, rather than promoting anti-male sentiment
  • The "man-hater" stereotype has historically been used as a political tool to discredit feminist movements and their policy goals

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement presents a sweeping generalization that ignores empirical evidence. It employs a common rhetorical device of preemptively dismissing denials ("despite their constant denial"), making the claim essentially unfalsifiable. This type of framing benefits:

  • Conservative political organizations and media outlets that use anti-feminist messaging to rally support
  • Traditional power structures that could be threatened by gender equality initiatives
  • Content creators and social media influencers who generate engagement through controversial anti-feminist content

The research suggests that the "feminists hate men" narrative is more useful as a political tool than it is accurate as a description of feminist beliefs or actions.

Want to dive deeper?
Jamal Roberts gave away his winnings to an elementary school.
Did a theater ceiling really collapse in the filming of the latest Final Destination?
Is Rachel Zegler suing South Park?