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Gaslight, Gatekeep, but most importantly, Girlboss
Why the ‘Girlboss’ phenomenon is problematic and slowly fading “Girlboss” is a new term popularized by Nasty Gal Founder and Executive Chairman Sophia Amoruso, an American entrepreneur who channelled her notoriety from the rise of her multi-million-dollar fashion business, into a best-selling book. According to Amoruso, a “Girlboss” is a woman “whose success is defined in opposition to the masculine business world in which she swims upstream.” The “Girlboss” was originally a term for feminist empowerment, referring to women who put professional (i.e. financial) success above all by adopting a relentless cut-throat yet feminine persona to get there. It’s been codified in popular culture through figures such as Miranda Priestly…
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On-screen female relationships: The good, the bad and the ugly
A look at positive female friendships in the media and why they matter. Media can have an incredible influence, especially on young, impressionable minds. TV shows and movies teach young people what to wear, how to flirt, how to be funny and how to be in relationships of all kinds. The influence that TV and movies have on this susceptible demographic is remarkable, but potentially harmful. Consider, for example, the types of platonic female relationships we’ve seen on screen in the recent past and the fact that young girls subconsciously absorb the dynamics that are normalized in the media. In the media, female friendships have long been depicted as shallow,…
