ad feminem

Where "ad hominem" arguments refer to those consisting of replying to factual claims by attacking a characteristic or belief of the individual making the argument or claim - rather than by addressing the substance of the argument - an "ad feminem" argument would characterize the same phenomenon, but in a specifically feminist context (as in contentious debates between Women's Studies scholars).

Credit: Dr. Michael J. Murphy of the Women and Gender Studies Program at Washington University, in correspondence sent to the WMST-L list (although this contributor is not aware of whether he in fact coined the term).

I am so weary of these ad feminem attacks by so-called sex positive women, against those of us working to create options for women who want to leave the sex trade.

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