Is Feminism Still Another Dirty “F” Word?

The concept of “code-switching” is often used to designate the communicative transgression of some sort of symbolic boundary of identity, often for various social purposes. Progressive activists and scholars alike have used the concept to point out the contradictions and idiosyncracies of groups like Concerned Women for America (CWA), a longstanding member of the Christian Right, as it portrays itself as both anti-feminist and pro-feminist simultaneously. Using CWA’s various positions on feminism as a case study, this essay considers not just how this instance of code-switching rhetorically operates, but also examines how the concept is used in the critiques lodged by progressive voices against conservative Christian groups.