The Rise of Corporate Feminism: Is It Helping or Hurting the Gender Equality Movemen

In the past decade, feminism has gone from a grassroots social movement to a mainstream marketing tool. Once seen as radical, it is now a trendy, consumer-friendly concept that brands eagerly embrace. From t-shirts with “Girl Power”slogans to makeup campaigns promoting self-love, corporations have rebranded feminism into a profitable aesthetic.

But beneath the surface, many of these same companies continue to exploit female workers, uphold gender pay gaps, and fail to promote women into leadership roles. This contradiction raises an important question: Is corporate feminism truly advancing gender equality, or is it just another way for brands to profit off empowerment without making real change

What Is Corporate Feminism?

Corporate feminism, also known as "femvertising" or "marketed empowerment," occurs when companies use feminist messaging to sell products while failing to challenge structural inequalities within their own organizations.

Unlike grassroots feminism—focused on policy change, economic justice, and dismantling patriarchy—corporate feminism often reduces the movement to individual empowerment, self-confidence, and buying the right products. The message becomes:

·         “Buy this lipstick and feel empowered.”

·         “Wear this t-shirt, and you’re smashing the patriarchy.”

·         “Use this brand, and you’re supporting women everywhere.”

While this messaging might seem harmless, it often deflects attention from real gender justice issues—like workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and wage inequality.

 

The Business of Feminism: Why Companies Are Doing It

Brands have realized that feminism sells—especially to younger consumers.

·         A 2023 study by Deloitte found that 75% of Gen Z consumers prefer to buy from brands that align with their social values, including gender equality.

·         A Nielsen report showed that brands using feminist messaging saw a 10-20% increase in sales.

In response, companies have launched campaigns that celebrate female empowerment, promote self-confidence, and encourage women to break barriers. However, many of these same companies fail to uphold feminist values within their own corporate structures.

When Feminism Becomes Just a Marketing Strategy

1.    T-Shirts Made by Underpaid Female Workers

o    In 2014, luxury fashion brand Dior released a t-shirt reading “We Should All Be Feminists” (inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s essay).

o    The shirt cost $710—but was produced in low-wage factories where female garment workers earn poverty-level wages.

o    Similar feminist slogan shirts sold by high-street brands have been linked to sweatshops in Bangladesh, where women work in unsafe conditions with little pay.

2.    Makeup Brands Selling "Self-Love" While Promoting Unrealistic Beauty Standards

o    Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign encourages women to embrace their natural beauty, but its parent company, Unilever, also owns Fair & Lovely (now Glow & Lovely)—one of the world’s leading skin-lightening brands that profits off colorism and insecurity.

o    Many makeup brands push “self-confidence” while still heavily using airbrushing, filters, and unattainable beauty ideals to sell products.

3.    The Gender Pay Gap in “Empowerment” Companies

o    In 2021, the U.S. company Glossier, which brands itself as feminist and “for women,” was exposed for mistreating employees and having a lack of diversity in leadership.

o    A 2022 UK government report showed that many fashion and beauty companies with feminist marketing still had significant gender pay gaps.

These examples highlight the hypocrisy of corporate feminism: celebrating women in advertisements while exploiting them behind the scenes.

 

How Corporate Feminism Distracts from Real Gender Justice Work

The biggest danger of corporate feminism is that it shifts focus away from structural change.

1. Individual Empowerment vs. Systemic Change

·         Corporate feminism often promotes the "you can do anything" mindset—but real gender inequality isn’t just about confidence.

·         Women face institutional barriers like:

o    Workplace discrimination

o    Unpaid labor (women still do 75% of the world’s unpaid care work)

o    Sexual harassment in professional spaces

o    Maternity discrimination

But instead of addressing these issues, corporate feminism tells women that the solution is buying empowering productsor just “believing in themselves.”

2. Selling the Idea That Feminism Is Achieved

·         Corporate messaging often implies that gender equality is already here and that women simply need to “lean in” or “take charge.”

·         This ignores the fact that women still face major inequalities, including:

o    The gender pay gap (women in the UK earn 14.3% less than men on average).

o    The lack of female CEOs (only 8% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women).

o    Workplace harassment (one in three women in the UK experience sexual harassment at work).

When companies celebrate feminism without acknowledging these barriers, they create a false sense of progress that slows down real change.

 

What Needs to Change?

If companies truly want to support feminism, they must go beyond advertising and make real structural changes.

1. Pay Women Fairly

·         Companies should disclose gender pay gap data and take active steps to close it.

·         Governments should enforce stronger pay transparency laws.

2. Improve Workplace Policies for Women

·         Companies must provide equal opportunities for promotion and remove bias from hiring practices.

·         Paid maternity leave, flexible working hours, and protection against pregnancy discrimination should be standard.

3. Stop Exploiting Female Workers in Supply Chains

·         Many “feminist” brands still rely on sweatshops where women work in unsafe conditions for low wages.

·         True feminism means fair pay and safe conditions for all workers, not just well-paid executives.

4. Support Women Beyond Marketing Campaigns

·         Instead of just making feminist ads, companies should fund gender equality initiatives, donate to women’s organizations, and advocate for policy change.

 

Final Thoughts

Feminism is not a brand—it’s a movement. True gender equality doesn’t come from buying the right lipstick or wearing a slogan t-shirt. It comes from systemic change, legal protections, and economic justice.

Corporate feminism isn’t all bad—it has helped normalize feminist conversations and make gender equality a mainstream issue. However, when feminism is reduced to just another marketing tool, it loses its power to challenge real injustice.

As consumers, we have a choice. Instead of just supporting brands that “say” they care about women, we should demand that they prove it—with fair wages, equal opportunities, and real action.

Because feminism should never just be about selling empowerment—it should be about achieving justice.