The overturning of Roe v. Wade in the US in 2022 highlighted the complex interplay between feminism, neoliberalism, and neoconservatism. While neoliberalism promotes women's economic autonomy within a capitalist framework, neoconservatism champions traditional family values, often clashing with feminist goals. This paper explores how this dual assault impacts the struggle for gender equality. The authors posit that a return to Marxist thought, focusing on power relations and socioeconomic conditions, offers a critical lens for understanding and responding to this crisis. Marx's analysis of labor, capital, and social structures provides crucial insights for a feminist response, particularly in addressing the materialist dimensions of gender inequality. The paper aims to re-examine the materialist origins of feminist struggles and propose strategies for navigating the current challenges faced by feminism.

The paper draws upon a range of feminist theories and perspectives, acknowledging the diversity within feminism globally. While recognizing the valuable contributions of feminisms in the Global South and marginalized groups within the Global North, the paper primarily focuses on feminism in the Global North, given its significant influence on global agendas and policies. The authors define neoliberalism as a system emphasizing market forces and individual freedom, while neoconservatism is characterized as a resurgence of traditional social values and a return to traditional gender roles. The literature review incorporates works by various scholars such as Nussbaum (2021), Fraser (2009), Hooks (2000), Grewal (2013), Mirowski (2015), Vallier (2022), McCarthy and Prudham (2004), Prügl (2015), Brandon (2009), and Butler (2013), among others, to establish a framework for understanding the ideological context of the feminist crisis.

This is a theoretical paper that employs a critical analysis of existing literature to explore the multifaceted crisis of contemporary feminism. The authors utilize a Marxist framework to examine the interaction between neoliberalism, neoconservatism, and feminism. They analyze how these ideologies influence the feminist movement and contribute to the marginalization of women. The methodology is primarily qualitative, drawing upon secondary sources such as academic articles, books, reports, and news articles to support their arguments. The analysis is structured around key concepts – feminism, neoliberalism, and neoconservatism – and explores how their intersection creates a complex and challenging landscape for the feminist project. The authors use historical examples and case studies to illustrate their points, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the pink ribbon campaign, and the #MeToo movement. This approach allows for a nuanced examination of the interplay between different factors shaping the current feminist landscape.

The paper identifies three key factors contributing to the current crisis in feminism: 1) **Gender divisions brought about by feminism's shift to identity politics:** The emphasis on identity politics, while highlighting diverse experiences, has fragmented the feminist movement and obscured shared class struggles. The paper argues that this has been exploited by capitalism, leading to divisions and a failure to address the shared experiences of all genders under capitalism. 2) **Obscuring feminist critique of capitalism by the spread of commercialization:** Neoliberalism has co-opted feminist language and imagery for commercial purposes, creating a form of “commodity activism” that prioritizes consumer choice over systemic change. This obscures the exploitative nature of capitalism and undermines the potential for genuine feminist action. The authors critique examples like the “pink ribbon” campaign and the use of feminist slogans in advertising. 3) **The instrumentalization of feminism in politics:** Feminism is utilized by political actors to further their own agendas, sometimes at the expense of genuine feminist goals. This includes the use of feminist rhetoric to justify neoliberal policies and the co-option of feminist movements by conservative forces. The paper argues that both neoliberalism and neoconservatism, despite their differences, converge in reinforcing the role of the family as a provider of welfare, thus limiting the state’s role and leaving women vulnerable to exploitation. This is further intensified by the devaluation of women's reproductive labor, which is mostly unpaid, and the prevalence of precarious work. The authors support these findings by presenting evidence of the gender pay gap and the high percentage of women employed in the informal economy, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. They also discuss the ways in which both ideologies downplay or ignore structural gender inequalities. The paper also highlights the inherent contradictions between feminist ideals and the capitalist system, and how the latter marginalizes and exploits women, particularly working-class women, and obscures the underlying class struggle.

The paper's central argument is that a return to Marxist feminism is necessary to overcome the current crisis. By revisiting Marx's analysis of class struggle and the material conditions of production, the authors offer a framework for understanding the systemic nature of gender inequality. They argue that the focus should shift from individual empowerment within the existing capitalist system to a collective struggle against the system itself. The authors highlight the importance of recognizing the intersectionality of gender and class and forging alliances with other social movements to achieve broader social transformation. The paper’s discussion emphasizes the need for a class-conscious approach to feminism, recognizing the systemic nature of gender oppression within capitalism. It argues that superficial reforms within the capitalist system are insufficient and that fundamental social change is necessary to achieve genuine gender equality. The discussion underlines the importance of re-centering the critique of capitalism in feminist thought and action.

The paper concludes by emphasizing the need to end the marginalization of Marxist feminism, arguing that its insights are crucial for understanding and addressing the current crisis in contemporary feminism. It calls for strengthening the education and promotion of Marxist feminism, fostering alliances with other social justice movements, and adapting its application to diverse contexts. Future research should further explore the specific strategies and tactics for building a class-conscious feminist movement capable of achieving genuine social transformation. By returning to Marx's analysis, feminism can re-focus its efforts towards systemic change, rather than accepting the limits imposed by neoliberal and neoconservative agendas.

The paper primarily focuses on feminism in the Global North, potentially limiting the applicability of its findings to other contexts. While acknowledging the diversity within feminism, the analysis primarily uses a Marxist lens, which might not fully capture the complexities of all feminist perspectives. Furthermore, the paper relies heavily on secondary sources and doesn't include empirical research to directly measure the impact of neoliberalism and neoconservatism on specific feminist movements.