‘안전’한 페미니즘이라는 기대의 역설: 페미니스트 ‘번아웃’

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This article investigates burnout among South Korean feminists who have been involved in the feminist movement since 2015. It examines the causes and perception of burnout, concentrating on the post-2015 feminist movement and its impact on the lives of feminists. This research, conducted through in-depth interviews, establishes that burnout serves as a signifier that encompasses the negative affect associated with feminism. Given the prevalence of anti-feminist sentiments and gender-based violence, the feminists interviewed conveyed a greater sense of safety within feminist communities compared to the society at large. However, feminists assumed that the homogeneity of members would contribute to safety, which frequently provoked internal conflicts. A further issue emerged when conflicts formed inside feminist communities, leading some to attribute these challenges as manifestations of feminism’s betrayal or failure. While these constraints caused feminists much hardship, they hesitated to express their concerns because undermining the idea of feminism as a safe space could intensify social backlash against feminism. Consequently, they medicalized their pain at an individual level. This article reveals that the post-2015 feminist movement emphasized homogeneity to provide feminists a safe space in the context of neoliberal precarity. Finally, it contemplates a more sustainable way for the movement to evolve through socializing the pain of its members.