Title: Selling (Out) Feminism: Sustainability of Ideology–Viability Tensions in a Competitive Marketplace
Abstract: Abstract Feminist mainstreaming has made feminist ideology one choice among many causes in a competitive marketplace. To stay competitive, feminist organizations must manage the dual goals of advocacy and financial viability. This study explores how an independent media business that publishes a feminist popular culture magazine and sponsors community events navigates ideology–viability tensions. This analysis articulates two discursive strategies employed by organizations to manage ideology–viability tensions: (1) equation of viability with ideology and (2) acquiescence to pressures of viability. These strategies indicate specific ways in which ideology is shaped to accommodate viability pressures. Lessons for organizations committed to social change, but faced with oppositional goals, are offered. Keywords: Organizational CommunicationFeminismConsumerismPolitical EconomiesIdeologySustainability Notes 1. Consumerism is broadly defined as people shaping their lives and exercising choice through the purchase of products or services that, in turn, help shape individual identities. In other words, individual identities constructions are shaped and informed by consumer choices (du Gay, 1996 Du Gay, P. 1996. Consumption and identity at work, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). 2. Gibson-Graham (1996) describes capitalism as a: system of generalized commodity production structured by (industrial) forces of production and exploitative production relations between capital and labor. Workers, bereft of means of production, sell their labor power for wages and participate in the labor process under capitalist control. Their surplus labor is appropriated by capitalists as surplus value. The capitalist mode of production is animated by the twin imperatives of enterprise competition and capital accumulation which together account for the dynamic tendencies of capitalism to expand and to undergo recurring episodes of crisis. (p. 3) 3. Kinser (2004) describes four characteristics of third wave feminists: They grew up with feminism; they encountered feminism as positioned within a cultural frame full of contradiction about feminisms, gender, and sexuality; they believe in a multiplicity of feminisms and reject narrowly defined feminist ideologies; and they experience feminism within a postfeminist climate. 4. Organizational communication scholars have also critiqued mainstreaming techniques. For example, Perriton (2009 Perriton, L. 2009. "We don't want complaining women!" A critical analysis of the business case for diversity. Management Communication Quarterly, 23: 218–243. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) argues that emphasizing the importance of gender diversity as a business case, with economic implications, actually reproduces gendered inequalities in the workplace. 5. It is important to note that feminist theories do not equate materiality with only economic factors. There have been moves to expand notions of the material beyond the economic "to challenge the assumption that material dimensions of women's oppression were synonymous with economic relations" and invite theoretical understandings that explain the materiality of social factors (Rahman & Witz, 2003 Rahman, M. and Witz, A. 2003. What really matters? The elusive quality of the material in feminist thought. Feminist Theory, 4: 243–261. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], p. 248). 6. The name of the organization has been changed for this study. 7. Participant discourses indicate that Moxie advocates third-wave feminism. For instance, Elaine explains Moxie's mission as, "defining third-wave feminism. Most people still think feminism is a '60s thing." Monica adds, "I'm most proud of the fact that we were one of the architects of third-wave feminism, and you know, I'm very aware that we had a very a stiletto-heeled foothold in that realm." 8. For instance, Moxie ran a survey of readers on their socially responsible consumer practices as part of its strategic activism efforts (Tam, 2007 Tam , M. 2007 . Getting to know you … Retrieved November 14, 2007, from http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Im4Wxa0P9JRZLVQTEzWjKg_3d_3d [Google Scholar]). 9. Four interns and two staff completed member checks. Member checks resulted in no changes. The current editor-in-chief was contacted for feedback but never responded. 10. This interview took place as Hillary Clinton suspended her 2008 bid for the Democratic nomination. 11. Socially responsible consumption is when individuals "make salient, hold companies to account for, and take responsibility for the political and social history of the products or activities with which they are concerned" (Kendall, Gill, & Cheney, 2007 Kendall, B. E., Gill, R. and Cheney, G. 2007. "Consumer activism and corporate social responsibility: How strong a connection?". In The debate over corporate social responsibility, Edited by: May, S. K., Cheney, G. and Roper, J. 241–264. Oxford, , UK: Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar], p. 249). 12. Staff comments indicate their perception that adding more fashion helped attract more advertisers, although the first author was not privy to the annual or other financial reports. However, Moxie went from four tosix issues per year when more fashion was included. 13. An earlier example from Emma explained how she was attracted to Moxie because of its use of a plus-size performer. However, Emma's example was from the early stages of the magazine's evolution as it developed from a feminist zine to a profit-making magazine, adding more issues and more advertisements. 14. The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty is an example of a media campaign that disrupts dominant images of beauty and redefines beautiful. The campaign offers an interactive website, links to organizations, and provides guides for female mentors to help boost young girls' self-esteem and beauty image ideals.
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-02-10
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 29
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot