Search results
Girlboss is a neologism that denotes a woman "whose success is defined in opposition to the masculine business world in which she swims upstream". She's the confident and capable woman who is successful in her career, or the one who pursues her own ambitions, instead of working for others or otherwise settling in life.
People also ask
What is a Girlboss?
Who is 'Girl Boss'?
Who are some examples of girlbosses?
What is a 'Girlboss' ethos?
Learn the origin, usage, and examples of the word girlboss, which means an ambitious and successful woman (especially a businesswoman or entrepreneur). Find out how girlboss relates to feminism, pink, and peach.
Sep 14, 2023 · Girlboss is a term for a self-made woman who runs her own company or leads one, but it can also be used negatively or ironically. Learn about the origin, usage, and examples of girlboss in pop culture.
- Overview
- “Gatekeep, Gaslight, Girlboss” Meaning
- Defining Gatekeep, Gaslight, and Girlboss
- Origin & Spread of “Gatekeep, Gaslight, Girlboss”
- Is being a “girlboss” a bad thing?
- Related Terms
Is being a “girlboss” a bad thing?
You might’ve heard the terms “gatekeeping,” “gaslighting,” or even “girlboss” separately, but at some point social media users started mashing them together like linguistic LEGO bricks. Now, you’re scratching your head at this new development in internet slang. What in the world are they trying to say? Wonder no more! We’re here to make the meaning of “gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss” clear (and define each word individually, in case you need some catching up), and tell you where and why the phrase originated. Then, we’ll give you the rundown on the latest cultural discourse on “girlbossing,” so that you can join the conversation.
“Gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss,” is a tongue-in-cheek critique of a culture in which women exploit others in order to achieve success or status.
A “girlboss” is a self-made or successful woman. More recently, the term is used to describe a woman whose success is the product of immoral behavior.
“Gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss” is a critique of exploitative hustle culture.
This phrase is used to poke fun at the kind of woman who uses dubious methods to get ahead, in business or in life.
It’s a tongue-in-cheek combination of 3 internet buzzwords that encapsulates the problematic aspects of certain women’s mindsets regarding career or social progress, implying that so-called girlbosses gatekeep and gaslight their way to the top.
Person 1: “There she goes advertising her pyramid scheme again.”
Person 2: “That’s gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss behavior, right there.
“Gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss” is a cheeky spin on “live, laugh, love.”
To “gatekeep” means to control who gets to enjoy a certain identity, activity, or access to a community. Usually, it means making another person “prove” that they’re worthy of participating in something.
It’s generally done by those who want to feel superior to others, or who get defensive about letting other people enjoy their personal interests. In business settings, it might be used to make coworkers or colleagues feel inferior.
Person 1: “Oh, you say you’re an expert in marketing? Prove it.”
Person 2: “Dude, cool it with the gatekeeping.”
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which an abuser makes their victim question what they know to be true by lying to them or giving them false information.
These days, though, the internet at large has watered down the word to mean just plain lying, or even simply saying something that another person doesn’t like. Gaslighting might be used in professional settings to distract from problematic behavior.
“Gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss” first appeared on 2021.
The phrase was coined on Tumblr, a blogging site.
The first recorded instance was in a post made by user missnumber1111 which read: “today’s agenda: gaslight gatekeep and most importantly girlboss.” A similar post was then made to Twitter on the same day. Both posts garnered thousands of interactions, boosting the phrase’s popularity.
The term morphed into a concise dig at “feminist” hustle culture.
After the phrase was passed around as little more than a fun joke, it started to gradually take on a meaning of its own. Soon enough, social media users began to say it as a brief way to express derision for, or to humorously mock, the girlboss lifestyle and mentality.
For example, many TikTok users went on to create videos featuring popular and devious female characters, such as Cruella de Vil, accompanied by the caption “Gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss.”
Many think that a “girlboss” is just another exploitative boss.
While at first the girlboss was touted as being a trailblazer in a world dominated and run by men, over time that opinion shifted. After all, many girlbosses are still just bosses, and are often just as exploitative as the worst kinds of bosses—securing their power and wealth by abusing the people below them. [8]
In addition, many feminists believe that the “girlboss” is a flawed form of feminism, since it gives women power by participating in the system that disempowered them in the first place.
Others say that being a “girlboss” celebrates women’s success.
Supporters of the term say that you don’t necessarily have to exploit or abuse others in order to be a girlboss. Rather, saying that someone is a “girlboss” is simply a way to acknowledge and praise a woman who’s made a name for herself or achieved her own version of success. [9]
For example, if a woman performs well in a job interview or gets into a prestigious university, their supporters might praise them as a “girlboss.”
This phrase was coined as a masculine riff on “gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss,” and is used similarly—to joke about or criticize male figures that pursue status through exploitation. “Mansplaining” is when a man condescendingly explains something to a woman, even (and especially) when she already understands it.
A “malewife” is a man who takes the role of a traditional housewife.
Example: “You crashed your car into my mailbox, don’t deny it. There’s no manipulate, mansplain, malewifing your way out of this one.”
If you’re experiencing exploitative behavior at work,
and make it clear what behaviors you won’t tolerate, or
by filing a complaint with your HR department.
Nov 16, 2021 · The term "girlboss" was coined by a fast fashion entrepreneur, but became a backhanded compliment for women in power. Learn how the term reflects and reinforces the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated workplace.
- Abby Snyder
Jun 7, 2021 · The girlboss was a power fantasy and a utopian promise in the mid-2010s, but it also became a verb for gaslighting and gatekeeping. Learn how the term was coined, popularized, and criticized by feminists and critics.
Girlboss definition: a woman, especially a young woman, who is ambitious and successful in her career. See examples of GIRLBOSS used in a sentence.
