the first death is in the heart

1. increased labor of women and girls
2. women and girls enduring more abuse for the benefit of men and boys
3. women and girls suppressing their emotions (fear, anger, resentment, etc.) and limiting their speech
4. blaming populations of women (e.g. trans women, women involved in sex trades, racialized women) for the actions of men and expecting these women to endure punishment for men
5. focusing on maintaining manhood and masculinity while reducing the discomfort men feel about holding this position; framing men's feelings of insecurity as the central issue to be addressed when it comes to violent misogyny

The neoliberal ideology of self-optimization displays religious - indeed, fanatical - traits. It entails a new form of subjectivation. Endlessly working at self-improvement resembles the self-examination and self-monitoring of Protestantism, which represents a technology of subjectivation and domination in its own right. Now, instead of searching out sins, one hunts down negative thoughts. The ego grapples with itself as an enemy. Today, even fundamentalist preachers act like managers and motivational trainers, proclaiming the new Gospel of limitless achievement and optimization.

Joan Chen, 1990’s