In the world of tradwives or the rise of conservatism that idolizes the life of 1950’s America (or more truthfully romanticizes the traditional, restricting roles of men and women despite presenting itself as a “feminist” movement). There is one thing, in her sparkly pink tutu and her large pink hair bow, that stands out. From soft, bow-covered coquette, to the bright pink tracksuits of mcbling, hyperfeminity stands as a reclamation of femininity from the detrimental stereotypes about women and womanhood. The popularization of hyperfemininity has allowed women to be connected to the little, whimsical girl inside of us who has always wished to be dressed head to toe in glitter and sparkles. Hyperfeminity can be described as the exaggeration of stereotypical feminine qualities, including dressing or behavior, such as wearing all pink, loving to shop, or being sensitive and empathetic. I myself have always loved pink, wearing dresses, skirts, frills, lace, and definitely shopping since forever as a way of expression, but also a form of my own silent protest against society standards. As a young Black woman in a world that constantly pushes negative stereotypes upon not only my race, but my gender, hyperfemininity has helped me reject the ideals of hypermasculinity society places onto black girls. But, as much as the rise of hyperfemininity has been beneficial to millions of women around the world, it has been harmful to society’s view of women. Despite the intelligent role models of the hyperfeminine movement, such as the clever Elle Woods or the cunning Regina George, many hyperfeminine influencers enforce negative stereotypes about femininity and women, often playing into the idea that feminine women should be infantilized because of their lack of intelligence. Despite hyperfemininity’s many, many flaws, it has given women and young girls, such as me, a place to redefine their girlhood and has allowed women of color to reject stereotypes commonly believed about them.
Since the popularization of the Dumb Blonde stereotype of 1930’s Hollywood, hyperfeminine women have often been viewed as “less than” or “unintelligent,” a stereotype that still exists and harms women today. And now, its modern counterpart is the face of the 2000’s-2010’s “Not Like Other Girls” trend, a trend of internalized misogyny for the validation of male consumers. The portrayal and demonization of hyperfemininity has existed for hundreds of years and has put down women for decades. But in the wake of the 2020’s, society’s view on hyperfemininity has taken a turn. The revival of the 2000’s style and its iconic movies such as “Legally Blonde,” “Mean Girls,” and “Clueless” has led to its rise in popularity. After the Release of “Barbie” in 2023, Hyperfeminity, along with “Bimbofication,” a controversial sub-genre of hyperfeminity due to its portrayal of women, skyrocketed in popularity. Many women identified with not only their fashion sense, but also the brains and complex feelings of these characters. Hyperfeminity has allowed so many women to reclaim the negative views against them and their femininity. It all led to so many young women viewing their girlhood and femininity in a different light. Not only that, but the rise of hyperfemininity has benefited Transgender women and has helped many of them to express themselves and their femininity.
For decades, Black women have been portrayed as more masculine, strong, and aggressive compared to their white counterparts, who were always portrayed as feminine, vulnerable, and gentle, even in their own communities and especially for darker-skinned women. But as the rise of ultra-femininity begins to trend on social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram, so has the popularity of Black, hyper-feminine creators. So many of these creators influenced my own fashion style and have taught me not to shy away from my self-expression in the face of oppression and stereotypes. It’s encouraged not only black women, but all different types of women of color to step out of the boxes society has forced them into, and make themselves into something new and true to them.
But as much love as I have for hyperfemininity, I think it has many flaws. Many subcultures often try to reclaim stereotypes about women, but instead perpetuate them. A common trend on the hyperfeminine side of TikTok and Instagram was “For girls,” where other women would explain complex topics for girls, but it often felt demeaning, due to how similar it was to the genre of books meant for dummies. It was also used to discuss serious topics, most infamously about the genocide in Gaza, but it could sometimes come off as insensitive to the people experiencing these things every day. Another example was “Girl dinner,” which promoted many unhealthy eating habits to young girls, even if the trend started as a joke. A big problem with the popularization of hyperfeminity was that it claims that it cares for and about all women, when a lot of it can be labelled as “White Feminism” that actively ignores women of color, queer communities, and women of other marginalized communities. So many hyperfeminine creators claim to care about women, and yet don’t pay attention to the issues affecting millions of women around the world, such as the loss of abortion rights in many states or the rise of violence against women in South Africa. So many of these creators feel performative, and it feels like they just don’t genuinely care about women
Hyperfemininity and its community have provided a safe space for many women to feel confident, intelligent, and self-assured in their bodies. It’s led black women, and honestly, women in general, to ignore what society has to say and feel comfortable in their style and expression. And despite its downsides, I see hyperfemininity being an important part of the rights for women in the future. Women have fought so extremely hard to be here, now, being able to express themselves in any way they feel. But I know that’s not the reality for many women who don’t have the privilege that so many other women and I have. Whether it be from their own internal fear of how people will respond to it, or the restrictions of their environment, so many girls are afraid to dress this way. But I want to say, especially for young girls, that I think whatever other people have to say about the way you dress is unimportant, and you should always dress for you, not for the world. We only have one life, and we shouldn’t be spending it on fitting the expectations of other people, but instead your own.
This article was written in partnership with Steppingstone.
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