Feminist Approaches to Political Polarization

When political disagreements center on who people fundamentally are (their identity, safety, and right to exist), the personal and political become inseparable. For many, especially marginalized communities, political positions aren't abstract policy preferences but direct threats to their lives. This makes partisan identity feel existential in ways that go far beyond mere disagreement, with 55% of American voters now holding "very unfavorable views" of the opposing political party (Pew Research Center, 2022).

In this discussion, we'll examine how the personal has become polarized in contemporary US politics by drawing on feminist affect theory, particularly Sara Ahmed's insights into how emotions circulate between bodies and stick to political identities. We'll explore how this dynamic shapes political engagement when the stakes are genuinely life-and-death, and consider how post-oppositional frameworks might help us navigate these realities without abandoning necessary political resistance.

(Image attached is an art piece by Ann Morton and photographed by Bill Tillerman)