People who yearn to become entrepreneurs may find guidance at the new Feminist Business School, an online program that aims to help women launch businesses founded upon the theory of “feminine entrepreneurship” and “body-loving business practices.”
Starting next week, the California-based Feminist Business School will play host to an eight-week online “Concepts and Conceptions” course, during which seasoned “midwives” will teach women about the stages of giving “birth” to a new business.
Each week of the course will focus on a different topic. Students will start with “getting grounded,” and will eventually progress into more advanced topics such as “the myth of meritocracy,” the “stages of birthing a business,” and “toppling the patriarchy.”
Understanding feminist theory before starting a business is crucial, since it will give you a “huge leg-up on established entrepreneurs” and help you “avoid the frustrations and pitfalls of outdated masculine business models,” according to the program’s website.
The $1,200 class was developed by Jennifer Armbrust, an artist who graduated from Evergreen State University with a degree in critical theory. After graduating, she founded an art gallery, later becoming a performance artist in Portland, Oregon.
After working as a performance artist, Armbrust founded Sister, a California-based project aimed at promoting “teaching and tools for the feminine economy.” Coined by Armbrust, the “feminine economy” refers to a vision of business that shuns traditional capitalism.
“If capitalism is an economy that values masculine traits, what could another economy look like?” asks Armbrust, arguing that the traditional economy is based on masculine traits such as “individualism” and “speed and efficiency.”
These traits, Armbrust claims, should be shunned in favor of more feminine ones, such as “mindfulness,” “gratitude,” and “generosity” — all traits that can help promote the “redistribution of money and power.”
The only faculty member of this school appears to be Armbrust, who does not appear to have any direct business experience, but did take a few business classes at Portland Community College. She concedes that her program will not teach any direct business skills, such as bookkeeping or legal knowledge, but suggests that she may offer such a course in the future. Currently, the Feminist Business School only offers one course, and does not appear to be accredited.
PJ Media reached out to Armbrust for comment, but she did not respond in time for publication.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @Toni_Airaksinen
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