Both Elon Musk and Christian nationalists call empathy "toxic," "suicidal," and even "satanic."
But what they're really worried about is that empathy is *feminine*.
And in MAGA, a woman is the worst thing a person can be. An analysis.
https://www.salon.com/2025/04/11/magas-on-empathy-exposes-misogynist-fears/
@fishidwardrobe @AmandaMarcotte
Well it's not talking about empathy as an innate characteristic of women, but rather its strong social association (in our cuture) with femininity... which is true.
@hackbod @AmandaMarcotte if "empathy is femine" is not describing it as an innate characteristic of women, what would be?
(I'm certain the OP didn't mean it the way it sounded. My criticism is of the way it sounded, not what was meant.)
@fishidwardrobe @AmandaMarcotte
The wording in the original post is "empathy is *feminine*". Socially associated with femininity. And then in that world, male and female are binaries that can't be crossed and masculinity and femininity are inescapably tied to those two binary biologies.
(And *they* are the ones accusing others of having a "gender ideology." Of course, as usual, it is all projection.)
@hackbod @AmandaMarcotte I just quoted the same thing to you.
I'm pleased you seem to be reading this as, approximately: "in their world, empathy is feminine"; because I'm sure that's how it was meant.
But it's not what was wrtitten. I've said my bit, and won't be saying more.
@fishidwardrobe @AmandaMarcotte
Oh whoops what you wrote was "empathy is femine" which I read as "female".
So the original word used is "feminine" which, like "femininity", is a social construct. The article is talking about the social construct of what is feminine, not an innate biological characteristic. (Which is also why feminine is put in quotes.)
Amanda Marcotte
Fish Id Wardrobe ⁂
Dianne Hackborn