Ep. 67—“Why I’m No Longer A Catholic Feminist”—Melody Lyons

By Catholic Culture Podcast ( bio - articles - email ) | Feb 21, 2020 | In The Catholic Culture Podcast

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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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