University of Michigan Rackham student Megan Kelly, who studies sociology with a focus on gender and work explained how this developed to me over Zoom.
The girlboss went from an example of ambition and hustle to a personification of tokenism and unhealthy attitudes. My editor, whom I would characterize as “take-no-shit, badass bitch,” admitted that being called “girlboss” makes her uncomfortable and that she takes it as more of an insult. That is, until Nasty Gal filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015, citing “toxic” workplace culture and leadership issues.Īfter the fallout of the ordeal, the term slowly became a less aspirational mindset and more of a backhanded compliment. Amoruso’s literal rags-to-riches storyline was inspiring, and she gained a massive following with many young professionals looking up to her. “Girlboss” is defined as “to make something or someone appear as a feminist idol or inspiration for profit, despite the numerous flaws of the person.” The term was coined by Sophia Amoruso, founder of the fast fashion website Nasty Gal, who wrote a 2014 autobiography titled #GIRLBOSS. The new Barbie is what some might call a girlboss. Making her a pediatrician or salon owner or athlete won’t cover up the fact that her “progress” feels a little, well, fake. And somewhere beneath it all, even with the countless impressive careers she’s had over the years, Barbie is what she always has been: superficial. Even if Barbie is no longer always white, blonde, blue-eyed and stick-thin (which she still is the majority of the time), her main appeal continues to lie in dressing her up and playing with her hair. That’s a really noble, and important, message.ĭespite all of the aspirational messaging, she’s still a plastic, stylishly-dressed, perfectly-coiffed standard we’re telling girls to live up to.
At the same time, Barbie is offering them education on what some of those options can be. This toy, a staple that many girls have looked up to for generations, is telling them that they can have any career they aspire to. In some ways, the breadth of her career choices is empowering. And these days, that list is even longer Barbie’s become a writer, an astronaut, a small business owner and president, among other things. We had myriad options to choose from: Hairdresser Barbie, Fashion Designer Barbie, Sports Barbie, Makeup Artist Barbie, Doctor Barbie, Salesgirl Barbie, Lifeguard Barbie, Schoolgirl Barbie - the list went on.
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