The Catholic Culture Podcast: Ep. 67 – “Why I’m No Longer a Catholic Feminist”

Feb 21, 2020

After growing up immersed in feminism and a dissident parish
that left her deeply unhappy, Melody Lyons found truth and healing
in the fullness of Christ’s teaching on man and woman. Yet after
decades of no longer considering herself a feminist, she started
describing herself as a “Catholic feminist” in order to find common
ground with secular women.

Melody has recently realized that this strategy is
counterproductive. What’s worse, today’s “Catholic feminism”,
ostensibly designed to be compatible with the faith, is starting to
look eerily similar the dissident old guard she grew up with.

Melody joins the show to discuss her conversion, the deviant
spirituality of feminism, and the renewed popularity of dissidents
from decades past among young, female Catholic
“influencers”. 

She also explains how she found freedom in Pope St. John Paul
II’s writings on women, and how his scant rhetorical references to
“true feminism” have been misinterpreted to justify the creation of
a movement more rooted in secular thinking than in Christ.

Melody’s core message: The Gospel is sufficient. 

Contents

[1:08] Melody’s background and her work as a mother, blogger and
speaker

[2:11] The context out of which her blog post, ‘Why I am No
Longer a Catholic Feminist’, arose

[8:14] Melody’s upbringing in a divorced, feminist household and
dissident church

[9:53] Feminism is not only political, it is inevitably
spiritual

[17:02] War of all against all vs. the claimed goal of
equality

[21:04] Melody’s conversion to real Catholicism through her
husband and St. John Paul II

[29:23] Catholic feminists’ attempt to co-opt the pro-life
movement

[35:24] The dangers of certain social media influencers

[38:25] The failed attempt to find common ground between
Catholic and secular feminists

[41:58] The gradual subordination of faith to worldly thinking
after Catholic feminism is adopted

[44:30] Melody’s response to the belief that feminism is
necessary in our historical context

[48:53] The bullying nature of feminism and its pressure on
men

[50:36] How men can positively influence the women in their
lives

[55:44] The response to Melody’s post

Links

Melody Lyons, “Why I am No Longer A Catholic Feminist”
https://www.theessentialmother.com/blog-2/why-i-am-not-a-catholic-feminist

Melody Lyons on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theessentialmother/

Melody Lyons on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheEssentialM

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