
The point here is not to rerun the incidents that led to MeToo, but to think through what this movement means for where feminism ought to go next. What are the challenges it faces today? What opportunities does the reinvigorated interest in feminism provide? In short, now that the word ‘feminist’ is mainstream, how do we go about truly integrating it into society? To respond to these questions, one must first understand that the mainstream will not automatically become feminist because feminism is mainstream. The second thing to understand is that feminism, a centuries long women’s intellectual tradition, has gained momentum in a time that is markedly anti-intellectual. News and debate have become entertainment and drama with the ultimate aim of evoking strong emotional reactions to meet commercial ends. In times with too little room for reflection and consideration, the big challenge modern feminists face is to take a step back, evaluate the zeitgeist and ask necessary questions. In other words, the challenge for progressive feminism is to encourage critical reflection.