by Serene Khader
Beacon Press
10/7/2025, paperback
SKU: 9780807021385
Winner of the North American Society for Social Philosophy's 2025 Best Book Award
For readers of Hood Feminism and Against White Feminism, an incisive examination of why the pillars of feminism have eroded--and how all women, not just the #girlbosses, can rebuild them
After over 175 years, the feminist movement, now in its fourth wave, is at risk of collapsing on its eroding foundation. In Faux Feminism, political philosopher Serene Khader advocates for another feminism--one that doesn't overwhelmingly serve white, affluent #girlbosses. With empathy, passion, and wit, Khader invites the reader to join her as she excavates the movement's history and draws a blueprint for a more inclusive and resilient future.
A feminist myth buster, Khader begins by deconstructing "faux feminisms." Thought to be the pillars of good feminism, they may appeal to many but, in truth, leave most women behind. Khader identifies these traps that white feminism lays for us all, asking readers to think critically about
- The Freedom Myth: The overarching misconception that feminism is about personal freedom rather than collective equality
- The Individualism Myth: The pervasive idea that feminism aims to free individual women from social expectations
- The Culture Myth: The harmful misconception that "other" cultures restrict women's liberation
- The Restriction Myth: The flawed belief that feminism is a fight against social restrictions
- The Judgment Myth: The fallacy of celebrating women's choices without first interrogating the privileges afforded or denied to the women
In later chapters, Khader draws on global and intersectional feminist lessons of the past and present to imagine feminism's future. She pays particular attention to women of color, especially those in the Global South. Khader recounts their cultural and political stories of building a more inclusive framework in their societies. These are the women, she argues, from whom today's feminists can learn.
Khader's critical inquiry begets a new vision of feminism: one that tackles inequality at the societal, not individual, level and is ultimately rooted in community.
Reviews:
"Brave, brilliant, and bracing, Serene Khader's Faux Feminism is a vital, timely book for anyone who wants to become attuned to misogynistic and racist ideas in feminist garb--or the way feminists ourselves can perpetuate these harms under the aegis of certain long-standing, deeply held myths that dog the movement. In excavating these ideas forensically and patiently, Khader has given us a must-read for anyone with a conscience in our times, striving to do--and think--better." -- Kate Manne, author of Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women
"An engaging, smart, and persuasive exploration of 'faux feminism' and its dangers.... Faux Feminism is a page-turner--timely, beautifully argued, and important reading in an era of misinformation, consumer capitalism, and right-wing populism." -- Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Feminism Without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity
About the Author:
Serene Khader is a professor of philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center and the Jay Newman Chair in Philosophy of Culture at Brooklyn College. Her latest book, Faux Feminism, won the North American Society for Social Philosophy's 2025 Best Book Award. Also the author of Decolonizing Universalism: A Transnational Feminist Ethic, Khader's work on global women's issues has been published in outlets such as the New York Times. She lives in Brooklyn with her spouse and two children.