How modern feminism undermined the American family

By Virgil Walker, Op-ed contributor Sunday, March 16, 2025

March is designated as Women’s History Month and it should be a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and accomplishments of women who have shaped families, communities, and nations.

However, modern feminism has hijacked this celebration, distorting womanhood into a self-serving ideology that undermines the very institutions that provide true strength, stability, and purpose to women. Modern feminism promised empowerment, but instead it delivered loneliness, broken families, and spiritual confusion.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s time to ask: Has feminism truly helped women — or has it deceived and hurt them?

The cost of feminism has been devastating, not just for women but also for families, children, and society itself. What began as a movement for equality quickly transformed into a rebellion against biblical womanhood, marriage, and the family unit. Rather than encouraging strong households where men and women work together, feminism has promoted a destructive narrative: that women don’t need men, that government should replace fathers, and that success is found in rejecting God’s design for the family.

This isn’t just a social issue — it’s a theological issue. Feminism has redefined what it means to be a woman, moving away from God’s ordained roles toward an ideology that prioritizes career over children, self-interest over sacrifice, and power over partnership.

The historical shift: How feminism evolved

First-wave feminism began in the 19th century, focusing on women’s suffrage and legal rights. While many early feminists championed moral and family values, the movement gradually shifted in the 20th century.

By the time of second-wave feminism in the 1960s and 70s, the focus had turned to sexual liberation, no-fault divorce, and the rejection of traditional gender roles.

Third-wave feminism, emerging in the 1990s, took this idea even further — embracing gender fluidity, abortion advocacy, and the demonization of masculinity.

Each iteration of feminism moved further away from biblical womanhood, prioritizing autonomy over family and individualism over community. What started as a fight for rights became a campaign against God’s design.

Feminism’s war on fatherhood and the family

One of the most devastating effects of modern feminism has been its attack on men and fathers. Under the guise of “liberation,” feminism painted men as oppressors, rather than protectors and providers, leading to a culture that devalues masculinity and prioritizes single motherhood over marriage. What was the result?

The government became the husband, the welfare check replaced the father, the illegitimacy rate skyrocketed, and feminism called it “progress.”
No-fault divorce laws, championed by feminists, led to skyrocketing divorce rates, weakening the marriage covenant and leaving countless children without a father in the home.
Cultural messaging now glorifies independence and sexual freedom over biblical marriage, creating a generation of women who prioritize career and casual relationships over building strong families.

The consequences have been staggering, among them:

Fatherlessness is at an all-time high. Well over 18.5 million children in the U.S. grow up without a biological father in the home.
Marriage rates have plummeted, with many young women choosing careers over family, but regretting it later.
There has been a rise in depression, loneliness, and anxiety among women, despite promises that feminism would bring them fulfillment.

Scripture tells us that God designed men and women to complement one another (Genesis 2:18). The destruction of the family was not an accident — it was the goal. Feminism was never about true equality. It was about erasing God’s created order.

Feminism’s lies and broken promises

Feminism has long made promises it couldn’t keep. It told women that marriage and motherhood were chains, that independence meant rejecting family and embracing the sexual revolution, and that true fulfillment could only be found outside the home.

So, what has “feminism” actually produced? A lot of depression, destabilization, decline, and destruction. Just consider some of its fruits:

1. There are now several generations of women who prioritized their careers over marriage and children but are now experiencing loneliness and grief. Many women in their late 30s and 40s regret their decision to put ambition and self-empowerment over marriage and motherhood. The “you can have it all” myth has proven to be a lie.

2. We now have a society where men are demonized and stripped of their biblical role as leaders of the home. Rather than receiving recognition for their roles as husbands and fathers, the constant portrayal of men as oppressors further exacerbates the divide between the sexes.

3. The normalization of abortion as empowerment persists, despite the emotional and spiritual devastation it causes to countless women. Feminism has perpetuated the misconception that a woman’s success hinges on her capacity to terminate, rather than nurture, life.

4.Even within the Church, the advocacy for abortion has been embraced in some circles, with certain denominations softening their stance on life in an attempt to conform to cultural trends. Instead of boldly defending the unborn, many churches have adopted pro-choice rhetoric under the guise of compassion, neglecting the biblical truth that life is sacred from conception (Psalm 139:13-16).

To that last point, feminism’s roots are growing ever deeper in the Church. Many pulpits have abandoned biblical teaching on marriage, submission, and male leadership, replacing them with messages that sound more like pop psychology than the Word of God.

The acceptance of female pastors has led to a softening of scriptural authority, disregarding 1 Timothy 2:12, which prohibits women from exercising pastoral authority over men.

Worship services have been feminized, shifting away from strong theological preaching to emotional experiences that cater primarily to women, driving many men out of the church. Instead of standing firm on biblical truth, many churches have embraced progressive social issues such as abortion rights, LGBT advocacy, and gender neutrality — positions that stand in direct opposition to a biblical worldview. This compromise has weakened the Church, leaving it ill-equipped to disciple the next generation in God’s design for family and leadership.

The fruit of feminism is clear: loneliness, broken relationships, fractured families, and a departure from God’s design for men and women. It’s time to recognize that feminism has not freed women — it has enslaved them to a cycle of discontent, rebellion, and regret.

Restoring biblical womanhood and the family

If America is to thrive, we must return to God’s blueprint for strong families built on biblical principles. The foundation of a stable and flourishing society rests on Christ-centered homes, where men lead in love, women embrace their God-given roles, and children are raised with truth and discipline.

So, here’s what must be done:

Reestablish marriage as the foundation — Encourage young men and women to prioritize biblical marriage as the framework for stability and legacy. Marriage is God’s design for human flourishing (Genesis 2:24).
Equip churches to stand firm — Pastors and leaders must boldly reject feminist theology and return to clear biblical teaching on marriage and family.
Support pro-family policies — Advocate for policies incentivizing marriage, discouraging government dependence, strengthening fatherhood, and promoting life and the well-being of children.
Revive discipleship for women — Older women must mentor younger women, teaching them to love their husbands and children (Titus 2:3-5).
Promote biblical masculinity — Men must be trained to lead, protect, and provide for their families as God intended (Ephesians 5:25).

As we reflect on Women’s History Month, let’s not allow it to be an opportunity to push destructive ideologies. Instead, let’s reclaim this month as a time to honor the true, God-given role of women as nurturers, builders of homes, and pillars of faith. Feminism won’t save America, but strong families, led by men and women who honor God’s design, will.

Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.

Virgil L. Walker is the Executive Director of Operations for G3 Ministries, an author, and a conference speaker. He is the co-host of the Just Thinking Podcast. Virgil is passionate about teaching, disciple-making, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Virgil and his wife Tomeka have been married for 26 years and have three children. Listen to his podcast here.

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