Introduction to special issue: Exploring the emergence of moderate feminism(s) in contemporary organizations

Theorizing postfeminist communities: How gender‐inclusive meetups address gender inequity in high‐tech industries

“…Postfeminist communities do not necessarily disavow the need for feminism. Rather, postfeminist communities reflect what Lewis et al (2019Lewis et al ( , p. 1063) describe as 'the contemporary reconfiguration of feminism in moderate form through the constitution of a particular way of thinking about gender in (western) society'. I find that gender-inclusive meetup groups in the technology sector primarily articulate discourses reflecting the notion of 'trickle-down feminism' , or the assumption that if a few women can attain leadership positions they will help to mitigate the masculinization of organizations (Jaffe, 2013;Kennedy, 2013).…”

“…While postfeminist communities are able to successfully cultivate supportive groups of participants who organize outside of the workplace, strategies focused on individual‐level changes ultimately do little to disrupt organization‐level gender inequities (Adamson, 2017; Lewis et al, 2017). This study contributes to theoretical analysis regarding the growing salience of moderate feminisms (Lewis, Adamson, Biese, & Kelan, 2019), showing how community organizing around gender inequity can take a moderate and postfeminist turn.…”

“…As Budgeon (2001, p. 14) puts it,

The prefix ‘post’ is used here not as a signifier of a complete break in previous social relations or as the overcoming of oppressive relations, but rather as implying a process of ongoing transformation [ sic ].

While postfeminism has been used to describe a moment after or disavowal of feminism, recent literature complicates the notion that postfeminism is a denunciation of feminist politics (Hollows & Moseley, 2006). Rather, postfeminism can be understood as a repudiation of perceived excessive or radical feminisms in favour of more moderate feminist politics (Dean, 2010; Lewis et al, 2019).…”

“…While postfeminism has been used to describe a moment after or disavowal of feminism, recent literature complicates the notion that postfeminism is a denunciation of feminist politics (Hollows & Moseley, 2006). Rather, postfeminism can be understood as a repudiation of perceived excessive or radical feminisms in favour of more moderate feminist politics (Dean, 2010;Lewis et al, 2019).…”

Responses to the COVID‐19 crisis in Ireland: From feminized to feminist

“…How feminists should and do respond to discursive and policy prescriptions of austerity has been the subject of much debate. For some, feminism has acquiesced to neoliberal logics (Fraser, 2016; Lewis, Adamson, Biese, & Kelan, 2019). Eschle and Maiguascha (2018) argue against dismissing feminism as either co‐opted or resistant to an undifferentiated account of neoliberalism (2018, 234–236).…”