The public image of feminism, a movement that advocates for gender equality, has gradually become distorted through the media. What began as a fight for women’s rights has shifted toward an emphasis on female dominance and exploitation. In the pursuit of liberation, some feminists have veered into a dangerous landscape where the goal of equality is lost in harmful stereotypes and gender wars.
Hyper-liberation: How the Bop House is a hidden danger to true feminism
One way in which feminism has been distorted into something harmful is exemplified in the “Bop House,” a house in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., made up of female TikTok creators whose main form of income is OnlyFans, a platform where creators can post and view content — often of a sexual nature. Although the content house never shows explicit material on its page, they post suggestive TikToks of themselves dancing, performing skits and other activities.
The issue with the house isn’t necessarily the content that they post, but rather the creation of the house itself. The term “bop” refers to someone who presents themselves in an overly sexual, promiscuous way. Today, the word has been exploited to criticize and shame primarily women online, reaching far beyond just being a word to describe someone’s behavior. The Bop House reinforces the prejudices women face by indirectly promoting female degradation and encouraging men to continue making baseless generalizations about women based on their appearances.
Furthermore, the Bop House aligns with a larger trend in which hypersexualization and body liberation are mistaken for feminist progression, blurring the line between empowerment and reinforcing harmful societal prejudices. While women should have autonomy over their bodies and the right to express themselves freely, the house capitalizes on the very judgment and degradation that feminism seeks to dismantle.
In many of their videos, the members of the house often brag about their income and lavish lifestyle. This can send a dangerous message to younger audiences, particularly teenage girls, who may grow to idolize the House and its members, viewing their success as inspiring rather than recognizing how the house is based on the harmful objectification of women.
By normalizing the idea that fame and financial success can be achieved through sexualized content, the Bop House has popularized a skewed version of feminism that equates female liberation with self-exploitation. The concept of the house itself contradicts the fundamental goal of feminism by encouraging women to profit from objectification, rather than freeing themselves from it.
Male bashing and double standards: female dominance isn’t the answer to gender discrimination
“Male bashing” — criticizing or making negative generalizations about men — is a common complaint. However, women are also belittled and discriminated against on the daily, so what makes this practice different from everyday sexism?
The primary issue with male bashing is that it is used as a means to promote feminism, when in reality, it is far from that. While blaming men for everything may seem empowering and defiant for some women, it ultimately weakens the feminist movement by shifting the focus from achieving equality to encouraging further gender division. More importantly, male bashing enforces the misconception that feminism is primarily anti-men, which leads to resistance against feminist ideals and discourages women from proclaiming themselves as feminists.
Aside from male bashing, modern feminism also reinforces harmful gender double standards. For example, when an adult woman enters a relationship with an underage male, some downplay the seriousness of the offense, framing it as a “fantasy” rather than statutory abuse; this reinforces the harmful notion that male victims of predatory behavior should be grateful rather than protected. Conversely, if the roles were reversed — if an adult man were involved with an underage girl — the response would be starkly different.
This double standard not only invalidates male victims, but it also weakens the concept of accountability. If the goal is to create a culture where all individuals are protected from abuse and discrimination, then women should be held to the same standards as men.
How modern feminism affects women today
From hyper-liberation to male bashing and double standards, some facets of modern feminism continue to have negative effects on women today. While the feminist movement originally sought to advance women’s rights and bridge the gap of gender disparity, the face of feminism in the media tends to worsen gender wars rather than solve them.
The movement, despite all that it has made, ultimately needs to return to its roots: simply promoting gender equality, eliminating harmful stereotypes and empowering women. True feminism lies not in female domination and exploitation in morally questionable Bob Houses, but in uplifting women and creating a society where people of all genders are treated and respected as equals.
