Young women may reject feminism as marginal and old-fashioned

European women who reject feminism often see it as obsolete or associated with extreme views, according to research from King's College London. Despite persisting gender inequalities in contemporary European societies, women may still reject feminism because they tend to associate it with 'man-hatred, lesbianism and unfeminine women' says Christina Scharff, a lecturer in the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries. Women may also view feminism as 'no longer necessary' to modern life, says Scharff, in research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Scharff said: 'In many contemporary western European societies the mention of 'feminism' often provokes unease, bewilderment, or overt hostility. Feminism, it seems, is met with suspicion, even in countries that pride themselves on their allegedly progressive stance on gender and sexuality.' Today is International Women's Day, a global celebration of women's achievements and the challenges they face. Scharff ed a diverse group of 40 women from Germany and Britain to record their responses to feminism, a label they 'overwhelmingly' rejected. The results are surprising given the resurgence of feminist activism in both countries investigated.