Misogynist Rampage, Declining Rights, and Savage Violence in Global Anti-Feminist Backlash
Date: 26th February 2026 | Time: 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Event: Global Anti-Feminist Backlash Talk
Speaker: Dr. Azza Basarudin
Moderator: Yeong Pey Jung
Abstract of the Talk:
Global antifeminist backlash is a pervasive spectacle that challenges women’s rights and reverses the arduous gains in legal, political, and economic domains. From pro-life and pro-family mobilisation against sexual and reproductive health, same-sex marriage, and progressive notions of gender, to men’s rights activists contesting laws on sexual assault and violence against women, the increasing scale and intensity of the backlash is alarming. The rise of digital publics further contributes to its growth and visibility. This talk traces the workings of global antifeminist backlash through various sites of analysis to suggest that it has deep roots in institutions, social configurations, and cultural ethos, and is characterised by the increasing popularity of conservative parties, organisations, and politicians promoting strict gender scripts, exclusionary nationalisms, and traditional family values.
Bio of the Speaker:
Azza Basarudin is Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). She writes and publishes on social and legal regimes of gender, feminist theories, Islam and gender, and transnational feminisms, with a special focus on Southeast Asia. Her book, Humanizing the Sacred: Sisters in Islam and the Struggle for Gender Justice in Malaysia, was published by the University of Washington Press (2016). Her current research explores transgender lives and communal intimacies of Muslims in contemporary urban Malaysia. She is a Visiting Researcher at the Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA) at USM and Penang Institute.
Bio of the Moderator:
Yeong Pey Jung holds a Masters in Business from Swinburne University of Technology and a double degree in Arts (Psychology & Political Science) and Commerce (Economics) from University of Melbourne. Her main research work includes gender equality, minority marginalization and socio-economic issues in youth development. Other research interests include the Malaysia NEP, affirmative action in a welfare state, and the politics of international trade.
Event Summary
On February 26, 2026, the Penang Institute hosted a seminar titled “Misogynist Rampage, Declining Rights, and Savage Violence in Global Anti-Feminist Backlash”, led by Dr. Azza Basarudin, an Associate Professor of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies at California State University.
Dr. Basarudin provided a comprehensive analysis of what she terms as misogyny, patriarchy and antifeminist backlash. She deemed patriarchy as a socio-political system where males are viewed as the inherently superior gender, and misogyny as the enforcement mechanism to uphold these ideals by demeaning and punishing those who challenge the traditional gender norms.
She included real life examples of misogyny in practice, by showing how advertising and media tropes often turn to sexist and harmful rhetoric to gain visibility and traction. Online communities are also becoming increasingly misogynistic with the rise of the “manosphere” – spaces where men promote male superiority and reduce women to mere objects to be controlled.
Dr. Basarudin followed on to provide real-life examples of antifeminist backlash, citing anti-gender movements in Turkey and Russia, the anti “Me Too” protests in South Korea and the organised opposition to Pakisatani women’s Aurat March. These movements faced detraction and derision, where the women were constantly attacked in their fight to gain justice and equal rights. Malaysian case studies were also highlighted – where schoolgirl Ain Huniza was attacked for speaking up against misogynistic rape jokes. Additionally, Malaysian women were told by the Ministry of Women and Community Development to “behave” and defer to their husbands in order to sustain family harmony
Dr. Basarudin concluded her talk by advocating for a transnational feminist framework that centers on collective mobilisation and solidarity to combat institutionalized misogyny and to protect democratic values. She emphasised the need for educational awareness – most importantly engaging men and boys in dialogues about toxic masculinity, and creating safe spaces for continued discourse.