She Strengthens

The Toxic Reality of Neoliberal Feminism

Author and motivational speaker Rachel Hollis has sparked outrage with her recent comments on privilege, ambition, and perseverance. But what exactly did she say to ruffle so many feathers?

Defending Privilege

Hollis took to TikTok to defend herself after a follower called her “privileged AF” during a livestream. She revealed that she has a housekeeper who comes to her home twice a week, referring to her as “a lady who cleans my toilets.” When the follower responded by saying Hollis was “unrelatable,” she fired back, claiming that everything she does is to live a life that is unrelatable. In a since-deleted Instagram post, she compared herself to iconic women like Harriet Tubman, Frida Kahlo, RBG, and Amelia Earhart.

The Hypocrisy of Neoliberal Feminism

Hollis’ words epitomize the corrupt, hollow, and exhausting nature of neoliberal feminism, white feminism, and girlboss culture. By belittling her housekeeper’s occupation to a single task, Hollis highlights her own privilege and reinforces the notion that certain jobs are beneath her. This rhetoric is not only damaging but also perpetuates the idea that success is solely dependent on individual effort, rather than acknowledging the role of privilege and systemic inequality.

The Cult of Hustle Culture

The internalized messaging of neoliberal feminism tells us that we alone decide our fate, and if we don’t like where we are, it’s because we’re either too dumb, too average, or too lazy. This mentality has led to crippling imposter syndrome, where we feel like frauds when we achieve success because we know that despite what society tells us, we didn’t just get smarter, more extraordinary, or incredibly ambitious overnight. We applied our skill set to the opportunities we saw, just like Rachel Hollis applied her skill set of persuasion and influence toward the world of blogging.

The Facade of Relatability

Hollis’ branding is built on being relatable, but her recent comments suggest otherwise. She profits off of her “girl next door” image, yet claims she doesn’t want to be relatable. This facade is not only disappointing but also damaging, as it perpetuates the idea that we need to conform to certain standards to be successful. The line between connection and manipulation is blurred, and we’re left wondering what psychological damage we’re inflicting on ourselves and others when we become the product we’re selling.

The Slippery Slope of Personal Branding

As we cultivate and profit from our personalities, we must question how much of a warped reality we’re living in. Where is the boundary between being in the public eye and being a role model? How much do our influencers or celebrities “owe” us apologies and political correctness, if at all? The psychological damage we’re inflicting on everyone around us, including ourselves, is a slippery slope we need to be aware of.

The Neoliberal Feminist Community

The neoliberal feminist community is built on the idea of dressing up the patriarchy with flags, cool fonts, and hashtags, rather than challenging the system we’re all enslaved to. We need to acknowledge the toxicity of white feminism, which avoids and denies intersectionality, and focuses on feeling attacked and hijacking a narrative until comfortable. It’s time to call out influencers who hustle-shame us into burnout and workaholism, and instead, empower all women to occupy their space at work – and everywhere else.