Feminism and "The Dignity of Dependence". A Conversation with Leah Libresco Sargeant.

Описание: Women on the pill, female CEOs, women abhorring becoming mothers: is this all that feminism has to preach? What if—as author, spouse, and mother Leah Libresco Sargeant argues in her most recent book—real feminism starts by acknowledging how radically different men and women are? And how radically interdependent? Far from suggesting a “trad wife” model—one that thinks that all solutions should be found in 1952—Leah helps us rediscover our nature, rethink some of our policies, and embrace our dependence.


🕰️ Timeline Summary

[5:00] - The false promise of autonomy: Why society offers women independence that even men don't truly possess.
[7:00] - Pregnancy as teacher: How bearing children reveals the limits of our control and plans.
[9:00] - Can you be both Christian and feminist? Rooting feminism in the truth of embodied human nature.
[10:00] - Society's failure to accommodate women: When public spaces only work for a narrow range of people.
[11:00] - Children as the ultimate "high variance" people—and why hostility to children particularly harms women.
[12:00] - The asymmetries between men and women: Why we need to speak frankly and appreciatively about differences.
[14:00] - Male spaces and female advancement: Striking the balance between healthy separation and exclusion.
[15:00] - The "trad wife" phenomenon unpacked: Instagram performance versus authentic home-centered life.
[16:00] - When "traditional" becomes performative: The difference between living for your family and performing for voyeurs.
[17:00] - Taking your husband's name and homeschooling: What counts as "traditional" anyway?
[24:00] - Childbirth as excellence: Why labor without epidural made marathons finally make sense.
[27:00] - The embodied experience of doing something physically hard, excellently—and getting a baby at the end.
[27:00] - Amateur care is fundamental care: Why unpaid family caregiving deserves recognition and support.
[28:00] - The outsourcing trap: When we assume all valuable work must be credentialed and professionalized.
[29:00] - Credentialism in childcare: How degree requirements become "value laundering" rather than genuine quality assurance.
[30:00] - Bureaucratic childcare: How help from family and friends became a deduction against our government benefits.
[32:00] - The horror of dependence: Why we should destigmatize dependence on community.
[37:00] - Being a burden: Why being a burden is a necessary aspect of relationships
[39:00] - Modern Feminism: What does feminism look like today?
[42:00] - Losing sight of our dependence: Why dependence is fundamental to relationships and why asking for help does not make you a loser.
[49:00] - Closing notes: Reconnect with your community and meet your neighbors.


#AustinInstitute #LeahSargeant #Feminism #Dependence #Motherhood