--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the last decade has seen a powerful…" description: "\"the last decade has seen a powerful counterassault on women's rights, a backlash, an attempt to retract the handful of small and hard-won victories tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/susan-faludi-12461_backlash_the-last-decade-has-seen-a-powerful-coun_357328.jpg" --- # the last decade has seen a powerful counterassault on… ![“the last decade has seen a powerful counterassault on women's rights, a backlash, an attempt to retract the handful of small and hard-won victories that the feminist movement did manage to win for women. This counterassault is largely insidious: in a kind of pop-culture version of the Big Lie, it…” quote by Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/susan-faludi-12461_backlash_the-last-decade-has-seen-a-powerful-coun_357328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/susan-faludi-12461_backlash_the-last-decade-has-seen-a-powerful-coun_357328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/susan-faludi-12461_backlash_the-last-decade-has-seen-a-powerful-coun_357328.jpg) > “the last decade has seen a powerful counterassault on women's rights, a backlash, an attempt to retract the handful of small and hard-won victories that the feminist movement did manage to win for women. This counterassault is largely insidious: in a kind of pop-culture version of the Big Lie, it stands the truth boldly on its head and proclaims that the very steps that have elevated women's position have actually led to their downfall.” [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recent years have seen a subtle, cultural pushback that undermines hard‑won feminist gains by reframing them as harmful. **In simple terms:** Cultural narratives can disguise attacks on women’s progress. Key Takeaway Critically examine media messages. Themes feminism media influence political backlash Mood concerned alert Type analytical critical When to use this quote - policy analysis - media literacy - activism - education programs Key Concepts propaganda cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What evidence shows the backlash’s impact? - How can we protect gains without backlash? A Different Perspective Counterarguments claim progress is unnecessary or harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Downfall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downfall/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Feminist movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist-movement/) [Insidious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insidious/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Pop culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-culture/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Women 's rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights/) [Women'S Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights-2/) ## Related quotes > [The backlash against women's rights would be just one of several powerful forces creating a harsh and painful climate for women at work. Reagonomics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-backlash-against-women-s-rights-would-be-just-one-of-several/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [the backlash convinced the public that women's 'liberation' was the true contemporary American scourge - the source of an endless laundry list of personal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-backlash-convinced-the-public-that-women-s-liberation-was-the/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [A backlash against women's rights is nothing new. Indeed it's a recurring phenomenon: it returns every time women begin to make some headway towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/a-backlash-against-women-s-rights-is-nothing-new-indeed-it-s-a/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [the heart of the backlash argument: women are better off 'protected' than equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-heart-of-the-backlash-argument-women-are-better-off-protected/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [All of women's aspirations--whether for education, work, or any form of self-determination--ultimately rest on their ability to decide whether and when to bear children.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/all-of-women-s-aspirations-whether-for-education-work-or-any-form-of/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [Social scientists could supply plenty of research to show that one member of the family, at least, is happier and more well adjusted when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/social-scientists-could-supply-plenty-of-research-to-show-that-one/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [the central argument of the backlash - that women's equality is responsible for women's unhappiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-central-argument-of-the-backlash-that-women-s-equality-is/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [The liberal feminist movement never imagined that women would take seriously the encouragement to become our own heroes and claim life for ourselves, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-bruce/the-liberal-feminist-movement-never-imagined-that-women-would-take/) [Tammy Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-bruce/) > [Despite the strength of the feminist movement in the 1970s and beyond, a fable has persisted that educated women are rejected as marriage partners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-decrow/despite-the-strength-of-the-feminist-movement-in-the-1970s-and-beyond/) [Karen DeCrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-decrow/) > [My parents were civil rights activists, and my mother was active in the feminist movement. Issues concerning marginalized people and especially women of color…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-holmes/my-parents-were-civil-rights-activists-and-my-mother-was-active-in/) [Anna Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-holmes/) > [It used to be, if you wanted to have a strong, influential voice in the feminist movement, you really needed to be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/it-used-to-be-if-you-wanted-to-have-a-strong-influential-voice-in-the/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Monarchs not only fashion their age, but are fashioned by it, so that they can become a sort of personification of the age. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-figes/monarchs-not-only-fashion-their-age-but-are-fashioned-by-it-so-that/) [Eva Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-figes/) > [The feminist movement has helped open minds and kitchens to the notion that men can be at home on the range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-veaux/the-feminist-movement-has-helped-open-minds-and-kitchens-to-the/) Rene Veaux > [The feminist movement has been important to me because it's made me feel less odd and also because it has made me understand some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-feminist-movement-has-been-important-to-me-because-it-s-made-me/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) ## More by Susan Faludi > [The piles of makeup and the insistence on frills and ribbons and bows was not at all attuned to my feminist views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-piles-of-makeup-and-the-insistence-on-frills-and-ribbons-and-bows/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [The culture used to move relatively slowly, so you could take aim. Now it moves so fast, and is so fluffy and meaningless, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-culture-used-to-move-relatively-slowly-so-you-could-take-aim-now/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [The modern fairy tale ending is the reverse of the traditional one: A woman does not wait for Prince Charming to bring her happiness;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-modern-fairy-tale-ending-is-the-reverse-of-the-traditional-one-a/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [As women began to challenge their own internalized views of a woman's proper place, their desire and demand for equal status and free choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/as-women-began-to-challenge-their-own-internalized-views-of-a-woman-s/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [The demand that women "return to femininity" is a demand that the cultural gears shift into reverse, that we back up to a fabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-demand-that-women-return-to-femininity-is-a-demand-that-the/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [When the enemy has no face, society will invent one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/when-the-enemy-has-no-face-society-will-invent-one/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [The media and the rest of popular culture weren't recording people's reactions to 9/11; they were forcing made-up reactions down people's throats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-media-and-the-rest-of-popular-culture-weren-t-recording-people-s/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [Divorced men are more likely to meet their car payments than their child support obligations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/divorced-men-are-more-likely-to-meet-their-car-payments-than-their/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [The 'feminine' woman is forever static and childlike. She is like the ballerina in an old-fashioned music box, her unchanging features tiny and girlish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/the-feminine-woman-is-forever-static-and-childlike-she-is-like-the/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [I've never believed that women have some special, essentialist qualities, or were more nurturing, cooperative, and morally superior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/i-ve-never-believed-that-women-have-some-special-essentialist/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [That so-called feminine ardor for clothes shopping had been flagging for some time. Between 1980 and 1986, at the same time that women were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/that-so-called-feminine-ardor-for-clothes-shopping-had-been-flagging/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [It's fine to dress in polka dots and pink crinoline if you want. What I recoil from is the idea that that alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/it-s-fine-to-dress-in-polka-dots-and-pink-crinoline-if-you-want-what/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [Trump's "Make America Great Again" program trumpets a national identity built on scapegoating, self-pity and grandiosity, and the promise of a strongman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/trump-s-make-america-great-again-program-trumpets-a-national-identity/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [My goal is to be accused of being strident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/my-goal-is-to-be-accused-of-being-strident/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) > [My feminist view - that gender is on a continuum and we are all better off dropping a lot of those binary notions -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-faludi/my-feminist-view-that-gender-is-on-a-continuum-and-we-are-all-better/) [Susan Faludi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) [Explore all 54 Susan Faludi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-faludi/) ## More Backlash quotes > [I tend to get reactions just by being on screen, because I guess I'm physically queer-coded or something. Especially with 'Star Wars;' I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-o-brian/i-tend-to-get-reactions-just-by-being-on-screen-because-i-guess-i-m/) [Katy O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-o-brian/) > [I'm the one who will take chances, not worry about the backlash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-m-the-one-who-will-take-chances-not-worry-about-the-backlash/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [Yes, I do realize that men in sports media also face criticism and backlash, but the vitriol that is directed at women, especially women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/yes-i-do-realize-that-men-in-sports-media-also-face-criticism-and/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [You can be the outcast or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love. Or you can start speaking up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/you-can-be-the-outcast-or-be-the-backlash-of-somebody-s-lack-of-love/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Just days after Mitt Romney suggested he might run for president, there's been a backlash. The backlash is led by Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/just-days-after-mitt-romney-suggested-he-might-run-for-president/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Israel must never be expected to jeopardize her security: if she was ever foolish enough to do so, and then suffered for it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/israel-must-never-be-expected-to-jeopardize-her-security-if-she-was/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [God save the Queen and a fascist regime … a flabby toothless fascism, to be sure. Never go too far in any direction, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/god-save-the-queen-and-a-fascist-regime-a-flabby-toothless-fascism-to/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Part of the challenge of the Barack Obama campaign was to try to neutralize that white backlash, and of course, he was masterful in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/part-of-the-challenge-of-the-barack-obama-campaign-was-to-try-to/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [There's a backlash against womyn that's really bad right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/there-s-a-backlash-against-womyn-that-s-really-bad-right-now/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [Of course there's a backlash. Of course. Look, half the country voted for Donald Trump. But I think one of the things that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/of-course-there-s-a-backlash-of-course-look-half-the-country-voted/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [I get so much backlash in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-nash/i-get-so-much-backlash-in-hollywood/) [Jason Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-nash/) > [Every time a militant Islamist terrorist shoots somebody up, what does Barack Obama do and the Democrats? They come out and they demand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/every-time-a-militant-islamist-terrorist-shoots-somebody-up-what-does/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“We seem to be in a continuing feedback loop of repeating a past that our country has yet to address. Our history is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/we-seem-to-be-in-a-continuing-feedback-loop-of-repeating-a-past-that/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) Browse all 161 Backlash quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "the last decade has seen a powerful counterassault on women's rights, a backlash, an attempt to retract the handful of small and hard-won victories that the feminist movement did manage to win for women. 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