This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Trigger Warning: Mention of sexual violence.
Feminism is having a moment. Again. It shows up in Instagram captions, on tote bags, and in corporate campaigns every March. We are told that empowerment looks like confidence, independence, and knowing your worth. While those messages hold value, they often remain incomplete. For many women, empowerment transcends self-love; it becomes a matter of survival.
Mainstream feminism has undeniably propelled women’s rights forward, yet it has also constructed a narrow image of what empowerment is meant to embody. Too frequently, that image highlights women who are already aligned with power—those who are white, financially stable, able-bodied, and cisgender. When feminism narrows in on these experiences, it risks becoming a movement that represents only some, rather than all women.
The issue does not lie within feminism itself but rather in the prominent version that’s showcased. Discussions around empowerment often paint it as a personal journey: speak up, take up space, be confident. But what occurs when speaking up isn’t safe? What if taking up space results in real-world repercussions? For women confronting racism, poverty, immigration challenges, disability, or trauma, empowerment becomes less about mindset and more about navigating systems that can either uplift or obstruct them. This is where the concept of intersectionality becomes crucial.
Intersectionality acknowledges that women experience oppression in multifaceted ways. Gender does not exist in isolation; it interweaves with race, class, sexuality, and more. Ignoring these intersections does not simplify feminism; instead, it diminishes its strength. On college campuses, this disconnect between rhetoric and reality becomes acutely apparent. Universities may champion empowerment initiatives and wellness resources, yet access to these opportunities is seldom equal.
Students from marginalized backgrounds often encounter additional obstacles, including financial stress, inadequate institutional support, and feelings of exclusion from purportedly empowering spaces. Conversations about issues such as sexual violence frequently reflect this gap. Survivors are often encouraged to be strong, to vocalize their experiences, and to reclaim their power. However, not every survivor possesses the same capacity to do so safely or publicly. Legal frameworks, social stigma, and personal circumstances all influence what empowerment can feasibly look like. When feminism overlooks these realities, it inadvertently places undue pressure on women rather than genuinely supporting them.
Empowerment should not be merely performative. It must transcend aesthetics and slogans, and should not compel women to fit a specific mold to be acknowledged as empowered. Real empowerment encompasses a broader, more complex spectrum. It intertwines with policies, legal protections, and equitable access to healthcare and education. It should create environments where all women can thrive, particularly those who face systematic disadvantages. This also involves listening to voices that have been historically marginalized and taking their perspectives seriously.
True empowerment requires accountability. It suffices not to declare that feminism is for all women; we must interrogate who is being excluded and the reasons behind it. This demands a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about privilege, even within movements that are designed to be progressive. Feminism gains its greatest strength when it is inclusive, rather than when it simply adheres to marketable ideals.
Importantly, empowerment will never look identical for all women, and it should not have to. For some, empowerment may manifest through leadership; for others, it might be about healing or merely making it through each day in a world that was not constructed with them in mind. If feminism is to hold any significance, it must embrace all of these varied realities.
After all, empowerment is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and it never should have been.
