The rise of corporate feminism

In a debate with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Oct. 2016, Trump famously went on a tirade where he called his female opponent a “nasty woman.” Trump’s comments went viral but incited a gamut of merch with “Nasty Woman” screen-printed on it. Brands largely donated a portion of their proceeds to nonprofits, but it sparked a trend that brands latched onto that didn’t always have altruistic intentions. In 2017, the first Women’s March took place in Washington D.C., a protest that gave visibility to women, but also seemed to be an opportunity to buy and show-off feminist merch rather than enact change.

The start of The Wing is worth mentioning: a co-working space and social club solely for women formed by Audrey Gelman in October 2016. The Instagrammable millennial pink space, which has since expanded to eight locations throughout the U.S. — functions as an office or meeting space and also hosts regular events featuring everyone from Clinton to Kerry Washington. To be a member, there’s a $215/month membership and an application process. For those who can’t afford the hefty price tag, there are two-year scholarship opportunities. The company touts diversity and inclusion like – having hair products for women of color in the bathroom and a diversity and inclusion team – but the social club has been criticized for being exclusionary with regards to its membership. While The Wing has had no problem selling merch with phrases like “Sisterhood” or “Pay Me” on it, equal opportunities — and lower-tiered membership prices that would be accessible to for underrepresented women with lower incomes still don’t exist (according to Vox they are working on it at the moment).

Underpinning all of this is how “branding” has infiltrated all aspects of culture. Causes quickly become brands, issues become platforms, and monetization quickly follows.