Where Does a Woman Belong? The Changing Narrative of a Woman’s Place

Section Editor Tanisha Shah explores the question, “Where Does a Woman Belong?” as social media weighs in with its answers. 

Over the past decade, discussions around women’s empowerment have cycled through various versions, each more contentious than the last. It began with initiatives like “Bring Your Daughter to Work Day,” aimed at inspiring young girls to pursue careers, with the hope of fostering empowerment, independence, and inclusion in the economy. However, it soon became clear that simply being part of the workforce wasn’t enough. Women were still missing from leadership positions. 

This gap gave rise to the “Girlboss” archetype — a glossy, capitalist version of feminism meant to encourage women to “have it all”: a career, a family, and a successful personal and professional life. 

The Girlboss movement ultimately collapsed under the weight of its shallowness and exclusivity. The essence of feminism — giving women the freedom to choose their own paths — wasn’t missing. Instead, a fictional world where women become CEOs, get married, have children, and live happily ever after was marketed as the epitome of inclusivity. The imaginary dream fell apart when the realities about the Girlboss movement came to light. 

Empowerment slogans, pushed by companies supposedly championing women, were exposed as hollow. These same companies were revealed to sustain toxic workspaces, including women-led startups like The Wing, which demonstrated that having a woman at the top doesn’t guarantee inclusive or healthy conditions. 

As a woman studying Security, I’ve experienced this tension firsthand. In my classes, I’ve watched men settle comfortably in their roles, so much so that they feel entitled to talk over female superiors, interrupt others, and casually dominate the conversation. While not all men behave this way, enough do that it makes the women in class uncomfortable about trying to navigate the situation. 

The ubiquitous catchphrases emerged: 

“You have the same hours in a day as Beyonce.” 

“Bossbabe.” 

“A woman’s place is in the boardroom.”

A million Girlboss, corporate feminism, and woman-empowerment slogans were plastered everywhere — on billboards, in marketing, on social media, in music, in movies… you name it. The notion that hard work and “hustle” could dismantle decades of systemic discrimination, exclusion, and deeply embedded sexism was clearly flawed. Despite their wide promotion, these messages only perpetuated false positivity while effecting zero change in the structural barriers preventing women from thriving. 

As the realities of workplace exploitation and burnout took centre stage, the capitalist model’s failure to liberate women became undeniable. Enter the rise of the “Trad Wife.” For some, it’s seen as feminism in reverse; as women seemingly retreat into traditional domestic roles. Others view it as a trend where women reclaim homemaking without shame, in contrast to the Girlboss culture. And there are those who argue that the Trad Wife movement is part of a right-wing, anti-feminism agenda designed to romanticise hyper-feminine domesticity.  

This struggle extends beyond the workplace and into how women are portrayed in relation to their bodies. What began as a movement for body positivity was accelerated by corporate marketing in an effort to get on the current trend, but it ended up in the hyper-feminism ditch. The Girlboss culture, in my view, never truly uplifted women by teaching them to lead as women; instead, it reinforced the idea that to succeed, women must wear suits and mimic men in order to climb the corporate ladder. Similarly, the body positivity movement, meant to help women feel comfortable in their own skin, became a battleground for competing feminist ideals. Society pits women against one other, scrutinising their choices and turning it into a “who’s the bigger feminist” fight.  

In male-dominated industries, the Girlboss and hustle cultures are still prevalent, and real change is agonisingly slow. Women are put centre stage only when it’s convenient — like on International Women’s Day. The polarising shift from Girlboss to Trad Wife, fueled by the growing divides on social media, highlights how extreme the narratives around women have become. The constant scrutiny of women’s choices — whether they pursue careers, homemaking, or both — shows the dangerous effects of corporate feminism and false positivity. These ideologies promote unrealistic and overly generalised ideals of what women should be and what they should do. 

“You can’t be a feminist if you are a homemaker.”

 “You’re not a good mother if you still prioritise your career after having the baby.” 

“What kind of an example are you setting for your kid if you put your career aside after being a mother?” 

“Feminists don’t shave their hair!” 

“How can you call yourself a feminist if you care about your looks?” 

“Why don’t you care about your looks? Are you trying to be unattractive?” 

How do we escape these binary choices? How do we support one another if we’re constantly forced to jump from one box to another? 

The need for intersectional feminism, free from online spectacle and rigid ideals, is more pressing than ever. If we truly want to dismantle the failing systems that hold women back, men must be a part of the conversation too. Real progress can only be made when everyone is given the opportunity to speak. Otherwise, women at the table will remain gagged and sidelined, there only for show.