Lewis' law

Lewis's law refers to an observation about the nature of comments on internet articles and posts that discuss feminism or women's rights. The law posits that "the comments on any article about feminism justify feminism." It was coined by British journalist Helen Lewis in 2012, highlighting the paradox that discussions intended to critique or undermine feminism often end up demonstrating the need for it, through the display of misogyny and sexism in the comments section.

Background

The concept of Lewis's law emerged from the digital culture of the early 21st century, where online discussions and social media platforms became prevalent spaces for public discourse. As feminist topics gained visibility on the internet, the backlash in comment sections served as a real-time illustration of the sexism and gender-based discrimination that feminism seeks to address. Lewis's law underscores the irony that the very resistance to feminist principles in online comments serves as evidence of the ongoing relevance and necessity of feminist movements.

Implications

Lewis's law has broader implications beyond the realm of online comments. It reflects a societal phenomenon where discussions about gender equality and women's rights often provoke reactions that exemplify the issues at hand. This observation has been used to argue for the importance of feminist perspectives in media, education, and policy-making, suggesting that resistance to feminism can inadvertently validate its principles and objectives.

Criticism

Critics of Lewis's law argue that it oversimplifies the dynamics of online discourse and fails to account for the diversity of opinions and motivations behind anti-feminist comments. Some suggest that attributing all negative reactions to feminism as proof of its necessity might dismiss legitimate critiques and hinder constructive dialogue. However, supporters of the law maintain that, while not all criticism of feminism is inherently sexist, the pervasive pattern of hostile and demeaning responses to feminist discourse illustrates the systemic nature of gender-based discrimination.

See Also

• Feminism
• Internet troll
• Online harassment
• Gender equality