The Effect of Third Wave Feminism in the Beauty Industry for American Adolescent Girls

The Social Media Aspect

Abstract

Appearing around the 1990s-2000s, third wave feminism promoted female choice and empowerment. But as Claire Snyder-Hall, an associate professor of political theory and director of interdisciplinary studies at George Mason University states, third wave feminism has become increasingly controversial by promoting choice feminism, “third-wave feminism insists that each woman must decide for herself how to negotiate the often contradictory desires for both gender equality and sexual liberation, it sometimes seems to uncritically endorse behaviors that appear problematic” (Snyder-Hall 2010). Suggesting that instead of promoting feminism, third wave feminists actually support patriarchal ideals, Evans and Riley extend Snyder-Hall’s argument by showing how these ideals are reinforced by being commercialized under the facade of choice. “Being ‘hot’ is sold to women as any other feminine product or feature, embedded in individualism, empowerment, and choice” (Evans & Riley, 2014). And because “The use of social media is widespread among adolescents, with 63% of 13- to 18-year-olds in the United States reporting they use social media everyday” (Papageorgiou 2022), this is important to address, because American teenage girls are most affected by commercialized messages of sexualizing oneself as a part of feminism causing negative health and social effects.