Gynocentrism is a dominant or exclusive focus on women in theory or practice.[1] Anything can be gynocentric when it is considered exclusively with a female or feminist point of view in mind.[2] The opposite practice, placing themasculine point of view at the centre, isandrocentrism.
The termgynocentrism is derived fromancient Greek, γυνή and κέντρον. Γυνή can be translated aswoman orfemale, but also aswife.[3][4] In ancient Greek compounds with γυνή, the stem γυναικ- is normally used.[4] This stem can be spotted in the genitive case γυναικός,[3] and in the older form of the nominative case γύναιξ.[3] In ancient Greek, no compounds are known to exist with γυνή that start with γυνο- or γυνω-.[4]
The ancient Greek word κέντρον can be translated assharp point,[4]sting (of bees and wasps),[4]point of a spear[4] andstationary point of a pair of compasses,[4] with the meaningcentre of a circle related to the latter.[4] The meaningcentre/middle point (of a circle) is preserved in the Latin wordcentrum,[5][6] aloanword from ancient Greek.[5][6] The English wordcentre is derived from the Latincentrum.[7] The word κέντρον is derived from the verb κεντεῖν,[4][6] meaningto sting (of bees),[4]to prick,[4]to goad,[4] andto spur.[4] When trying to explain etymologically the termgynocentrism, it is important to consider the ancient Greek κέντρον, with the significationmiddle point/centre, and not the more obvious ancient Greek word κεντρισμός (mirroring-centrism).
The term gynocentrism has been in use since at least 1897 when it appeared in The Open Court stating that Continental Europeans view Americans "as suffering rather from gynocentrism than anthropocentrism."[8] In 1914, authorGeorge A. Birmingham found American social life to be "gynocentric"; it was "arranged with a view to the convenience and delight of women."[9]
Beginning withsecond-wave feminism in the 1970s, the term gynocentrism has been used to describedifference feminism, which displayed a shift towards understanding and accepting gender differences, in contrast toequality feminism.[10]
TheMen Going Their Own Way (MGTOW) community describes themselves as a backlash against the "misandry of gynocentrism".[11][12] According to University of Massachusetts philosopher Christa Hodapp, in modern men's movements, gynocentrism is described as a continuation of thecourtly love conventions of medieval times, wherein women were valued as a quasi-aristocratic class, and males were seen as a lower serving class. This viewpoint describesfeminism as the perpetuation of oppressive medieval conventions such asdevotional chivalry andromanticized relationships, rather than as a movement towards liberation.[13]
J. Lasky has characterized gynocentrism as a potential response to androcentrism,[14] and that gynocentrism has been used as an argument by anti-feminists, who believe that gynocentrism is anti-male.[14]
In a 2019 study of Trinidad society published in theJustice Policy Journal, researchers concluded that "gynocentrism pervades all aspects of the criminal justice system."[15][16]
Christina Hoff Sommers has argued that gynocentrism is anti-intellectual and holds an antagonistic view of traditional scientific and creative disciplines, dismissing many important discoveries and artistic works as masculine. Sommers also writes that the presumption of objectivity ascribed to many gynocentrist theories has stifled feminist discourse and interpretation.[17]
Feminist writerLynda Burns alleges that gynocentrism is a magnification of celebration of women's positive differences—of women's history, myths, arts and music—as opposed to an assimilationist model privileging similarity to men.[18]
However observed in practice, the preeminence of women associated with gynocentric narratives is often seen as absolute: interpersonally, culturally, historically, politically, or in broader social contexts such as popular entertainment. As such, it can shade into whatRosalind Coward called "womanism... a sort of popularized version of feminism which acclaims everything women do and disparages men".[19]
In the 2006 bookLegalizing Misandry religious studies professors Paul Nathanson andKatherine K. Young claim that feminist calls for equality or equity are a subterfuge for gynocentrism.[20] Nathanson and Young state that ideologically, the overriding focus of gynocentrism is to prioritize women hierarchically, and as a result may be interpreted asmisandry (hatred of and prejudice towards men).[20] They claim that gynocentrism as a worldview has become de rigueur in law courts and government bureaucracies, resulting in systemic discrimination against men.[20] They define gynocentrism as a form ofessentialism as it focuses on the innate virtues of women and the innate vices of men.[20]
According to Margrit Eichler gynocentrism can be seen as sexist bias in social science research.[21]
