Commodification of Feminism: The Collusion between Body, Rights, and Consumer Society

Zhiyu Yang

doi:10.54097/38vxtn90

Authors

Zhiyu Yang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/38vxtn90

Keywords:

Commodification of Feminism, Body Politics, Consumer Society, Empowerment Narrative, Logic of Capital

Abstract

The constant advancement of the consumer society has resulted in a slow inclusion of feminist discourse within the commercial logic. Feminist symbols, demands for bodily autonomy, and gender rights discourse have also become marketing tools for capital. This article focuses on issues such as women's body consumption and the transformation of power discourse, based on Accenture’s consumer data, Zhaopin’s workplace salary survey, and statistics from the medical aesthetics industry to analyze the collusion mechanism between consumer society and feminist commodification. Commercial entities use empowerment narratives to reduce women’s liberation to individual consumption choices, resulting in the paradox of false empowerment. Identity recognition derived from consumption cannot fundamentally resolve the structural problems of gender inequality. This paper aims to reconstruct the relationship between feminist practice and consumer culture. It also provides a reference for theoretical reflection and practical application of contemporary feminism.

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