1. Ways Modern Feminism Intersects with Capitalism

The “girl-boss” ideology is a new, persuasive phenomenon which was started in the 2010s by a fashion retailer. The retailer herself described a girlboss in her book as a woman ‘whose success is defined in opposition to the masculine business world in which she swims upstream’^[1]. This definition can be alluding to the ‘glass-ceiling’ that is often brought up in feminist discussions. This term, however, was taken advantage of and turned into something that promotes individualistic nature and self-reliance, which leads to the ethic of relentless work. Lately, the images of stylish, powerful women running successful businesses flood social media, reinforcing this aspirational ideology. This further fuels the need to be a girl boss in the back of women’s heads and turns certain women who view this as a pillar of feminism against other women who decide not to follow this path. There is no denying that this ideology has its appeal, as it offers a pathway for success and can empower women to not be dependent on a man. Nevertheless, it is inherently individualistic and focuses on personal achievement within the capitalist system; it reinforces the capitalist ideal of competition, potentially undermining the development of collective action and solidarity among women. Furthermore, the aesthetic of “girlbossing” is heavily marketed, which can be superficial, thus portraying a disconnected image from the realities of many women’s lives.

The commodification of feminist symbols and language is another significant point to talk about. It entails the appropriation of feminist ideals, terminology, and imagery by corporations and marketers to sell products and services, raising questions about authenticity, impact, and ethical considerations with regard to feminism. This is lucrative for businesses, and so this undermines the power of feminist messaging. An example of this can be seen in slogans in advertisement campaigns that use phrases like ‘girl power’ in sportswear, like Nike celebrating the power of women’s sportswear. Another example would be the ‘empowerment’ in beauty products, like the campaign launched by Dove called Real Beauty. This type of slogan can be seen in almost every market that caters to women, associating the products with positive feminist values. The core message of such campaigns remains focused on selling a product rather than advancing feminist goals. The commodification talked about extends into the naming of feminine products to attract consumers. This reduces the social and political movement to easily digestible, consumer-friendly branding.

Circling back to the idea of individualism, it has been put as the main focus of the movement rather than focusing on systemic change. Modern feminism focuses solely on individual success within the current system and its power structure^[2]. And while it can be argued that individualism is important, it has become insufficient and potentially counterproductive as it fails to address underlying systemic issues. The individual ideology usually puts the onus on the woman to do better rather than fixing the system itself. The “Girl boss” ideology, while celebrating female entrepreneurship, focuses on individual success stories within a capitalist framework. Thus, it reinforces existing power structures rather than challenging them. Further, by focusing on individual success, the collective struggle for systemic change is minimized, in turn dividing women based on their level of achievement and creating a sense of competition rather than solidarity. Ultimately, this leads to women viewing and treating each other in a certain way based on their economic and social status, forgetting that women are supposed to stand up for women regardless of their choice of way of life.