Bella's Share: Feminism under the microscope with Mary Harrington
- jeanne7629
- Oct 20, 2025
- 1 min read
From Bella: This is a conversation between Coleman Hughes (a writer and political commentator) and Mary Harrington (a journalist who wrote a book called Feminism Against Progress).
What did I rethink: this podcast raises the interesting question of whether the introduction of the pill, a moment generally hailed as a watershed for feminism, really has been good for women. A technology that was designed to "flatten reproductive differences" has not achieved that. In fact, we seem to have doubled down on our performance of traditional gender roles (think g-strings on the beach, only fans etc.).
What did I not agree with: There is a short discussion towards the end of the podcast about the legalisation of abortion. While Harrington does not say she is totally against abortion, she talks about her discomfort with the primacy that modern feminism places on a woman's personal freedom, which goes so far as to say that a woman's bodily autonomy means more than the needs of an infant. I don't think legalised abortion is as simple as this (and to be fair, they don't spend enough time on this topic to really delve into the complexity - I would have loved more discussion here).
What questions did it bring up for me: As a woman who has taken the pill and other forms of contraception for years, this podcast made me ask myself - was contraception really good for me? Am I glad I took it for many years? Ultimately, no, due to the health issues I've suffered as a result. I think educating women (and men) about the female reproductive cycle is more empowering and certainly healthier.
Wow, fascinating. She’s really had a Think Again moment in her life. I love that she’s seen both sides, even the hard-core feminist one.
That comment she makes: “our bodies shape how we experience the world at such a fundamental level” really stuck with me. Also loved “there’s something more liberating about accepting our givens and working with them rather than against them.”
So interesting also to hear how the breakdown of the family and feminism intersect: especially in China, where the causal effects seem particularly counter common assumptions.