Yours, Mine & Femme! is back with a brand-new season, exploring femininity outside of the patriarchy! To kick it all off YMF hosts Bella Michie and Beth Tracey are tackling one of modern feminism’s biggest battles, the millennial Girlboss culture vs. Gen Z’s rise of bimbofication.
First off what is a ‘Girlboss’? The term was popularized by Sophie Amoruso and refers to a professionally successful persona that highlights femininity. Girlbosses are often praised for their success in business and entrepreneurship, cracking into the boys club culture.
But does ‘the Girlboss’ have an anti-feminist core? Girlboss culture is a facet of choice feminism, the belief that individual choices of a woman, that she makes on her own autonomy, that itself is inherently feminist. The fatal flaw of this idea is that it is founded on the assumption that choice is a liberty that everyone has, however that is not always the case for those in the BIPOC or queer community. Instead of breaking the ‘glass ceiling’ scholars such as Kimberly Crenshaw say they instead slip through a trap door, whilst that may work for certain individuals it does not break down these barriers.
But how else is a gal to make it in this money-driven world? Should we embrace the capitalist queendom of Girlboss culture or shed our pantsuits for lip gloss, embracing Gen Z’s reclamation of the bimbo lifestyle?
To find out which is more helpful or harmful for the feminist agenda, check out the latest episode with special guest Dr Theresa Patray from James Cook University.