Strategic essentialism is only ever a temporary, situation-specific deployment, never a settled stance.

Evidence

I think we have to choose again strategically, not universal discourse but essentialist discourse. I think that since as a deconstructivist, - see, I just took a label upon myself - I cannot in fact clean my hands and say I’m specific. In fact I must say I am an essentialist from time to time. There is, for example, the strategic choice of a genitalist essentialism in anti-sexist work today. — Elizabeth Grosz, Criticism, Feminism and the Institution, 121

Categorization

• DEFINE: The ‘from time to time’ temporal frame is central to the original coinage—essentialism chosen situationally, not held as identity.
• SEED: The example of ‘genitalist essentialism in anti-sexist work’ is a concrete empirical case of the binds the reader is tracking.
• XREF: connects to: Strategic essentialism is germane only where it defends against state violence

Related

• Strategic essentialism meant reusing hegemonic universals, not repudiating them. (similarity 0.84)
• Essentializing is unavoidable even in anti-essentialist critique, so it should be deployed consciously. (similarity 0.82)
• Strategic essentialism is germane only where it defends against state violence (similarity 0.81)
• Strategic essentialism was historically necessary but may no longer suffice (similarity 0.79)
• Essentialism used strategically remains hostage to the irreducible essentializing moment it criticizes. (similarity 0.79)
• Strategic essentialism is politically valid but antiracist politics cannot be guaranteed by racial origins (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Strategic essentialism is germane only where it defends against state violence #qualifies (0.85)