https://today.yougov.com/news/2013/05/0 ... irty-word/
Just 28% of Americans consider themselves feminists, with women twice as likely as men to use that label for themselves. And the latest Economist/YouGov Poll suggests that for women at least, feminism is generational, with the youngest women and those who came of age during the 1970’s feminist movement the most willing to use that label for themselves.
2014 and early 2015 was a particularly damaging time for feminism it seems, as now only 18% of Americans consider themselves feminists.
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/8/8372417/fem ... ality-poll
A decline meaning around one in three people who considered themselves feminists a mere two years ago have quit the movement.
What do you attribute to the decline? Do you consider it a good thing? Will there be a bounce back, or is this the beginning of a death spiral?
Personally I consider this to be a neutral thing. I'd wager that those quitting the movement are moderates disgusted by modern feminist rhetoric and feminist organizations blatant hypocrisy, as well as the misandry and gynocentrism. This will sadly mean that feminism becomes even more dominated by hateful strains of feminism, but that also quickens the time by which people will no longer tolerate or assist the movement in it's goals, and a new movement (Or potentially, a new wave of feminism that includes a stronger focus on mens issues) will kick off.
If a new wave is founded there may be a bounce back. I do think this is the beginning of the death spiral for the third wave, as more and more moderates are driven out of the movement.
In the interest of trying to throw up a neutral OP, despite my views being well known, an alternative explanation for the decline in feminism is internet anti-feminist campaigning, which I gather feminists regard as disinformation and lies about their movement. If this is the case, it would seem to indicate that anti-feminism is a stronger force in the internet age.
Some feminists may also blame media reporting on feminism as focusing on the most toxic and sexist strains of feminism and misrepresenting their movement, which may effect peoples willingness to identify as feminist.