Summary

The article discusses the author's concern that modern feminism may inadvertently encourage women to exploit their sexuality for attention, rather than truly empowering them.

Abstract

The author reflects on the current state of feminism, noting a paradox where the freedom to express sexuality has led to a blurred line between empowerment and exploitation. While acknowledging the progress made in women's rights, the author argues that social media often pressures women, especially in Gen Z, to engage in overtly sexual behavior to gain approval. The article emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between the power to choose and the compulsion to conform to societal expectations that can lead to exploitation. The author advocates for a more nuanced understanding of empowerment, one that respects individual choice without succumbing to the pressures of the patriarchy or the need for male attention.

Opinions

The author is not overly conservative or liberal regarding sexual expression but is concerned about the implications of current trends in feminism.
There is a concern that social media exacerbates the issue by normalizing the over-sexualization of women.
Empowerment is defined as having the authority or power to make choices, while exploitation is seen as unfair treatment for someone else's benefit.
The author believes that women should not feel compelled to display their bodies for attention or acceptance, and that such behavior may stem from insecurity.
The article suggests that true empowerment involves the freedom to choose when and how to express one's sexuality, without pressure from societal norms or the patriarchy.
The author encourages women to focus on their own agency and control over their bodies, rather than seeking validation through male attention or comparing themselves to others.

Feminism is Now Becoming Detrimental to Women

There’s a difference between empowerment and exploitation

I never thought I’d see the day.

Feminism is killing us and we need to address the elephant in the room.

I’m not one of those overly conservative women that sit online all day telling 18-year-olds to “cover-up” on Tik Tok because I have nothing better to do. But I’m also not one of those overly liberal women who view every sexual act as “empowering.”

Here’s the thing.

We live in an age now where sexuality is more accepted. That’s great! Women have fought hard since the 60s to get a damn vote. Heck, we couldn’t divorce a man without getting punished. God forbid you showed some cleavage.

Now, we have the agency to be the amazing sexual beings we are.

But social media has exacerbated the underlying issue that’s been created from feminism.

What’s the difference between sexual empowerment and exploitation?

I’m a part of Gen Z and I can guarantee you most people in my generation have no idea which is which. It gets frustrating. It used to be the norm to tell women to close their legs, now it’s the norm to tell women to open wide.

You better root for someone if you see them shaking their ass on social media repeatedly in a thong or else you’ll get chastised and labeled a “hater.”

So let’s define exploitation and empowerment.

Empowerment is the “authority or power given to someone to do something.”

Exploitation is “the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work.”

Just because you have the power and agency to do something doesn’t mean you’re REQUIRED to do it. As women, we often feel insecure to the point where we need to be accepted by the crowd.

Since the majority of the crowd is showing their bodies, everyone else feels compelled to do the same thing. But when we don’t get enough attention from doing it the first time, we do it over and over again in the most provocative way possible to gain the most attention.

Think about it like this.

Yes, we have the power to do whatever we want. That’s empowerment. However, we also need to acknowledge that the people watching have the power to do whatever they want — even if it means exploiting our bodies in the process.

I’m not saying it’s women's fault that our bodies get sexualized and exploited.

I’m saying that we have a choice and those who don’t want to show their bodies for various reasons shouldn’t feel pressured by society to do so.

My definition of over-sexualization is NOT showing a little skin.

It’s doing ridiculous things like twerking while doing a handstand with your legs open. Those antics seem attention-seeking and done off insecurities. We don’t need to feed into those antics all of the time.

Overall, I hope more women begin to acknowledge there's a difference between empowerment and exploitation. We don’t need to exploit our bodies for attention.

We can do whatever we want, but that doesn’t mean the world is our oyster. The patriarchy isn’t dead yet.

Having the power to say yes and no to when you’ll be sexual is real empowerment.

Don’t focus on male attention or what other women are doing.

You’re in control.

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