Is “BossBabe” Causing More Harm Than Good?

Looking back on the world of work 15 or even 10 years ago, it’s clear we’re on some sort of progressive path. Female networking groups are helping businesses thrive and dominate an industry previously ran by men.

My favourite example of this is Bumble, at just 24 years old Whitney Wolfe Heard turned a scandal at Tinder into a thriving dating app of her own. One that empowered women to make the first move and take back the control they’ve previously never had. Before starting her company (and becoming the youngest female entrepreneur to take a company public), Whitney had worked in a sexist tech industry, faced sexual harassment, and battled online harassment. The woman is iconic, and frankly something I aspire towards. Reading her profile with Time magazine, I was reminded how much this woman has faced and fought, yet still comes across as one of the most down to earth women ever.

Until recently, I’d never given much thought towards gender equality, I’d always considered myself a feminist but I’d never take the time to look into the facts and figures. Until I realised that despite working in a female dominated industry (69% of marketers are female), there’s a severe gender pay gap in marketing (23% as of this year), on top of that I market for an industry that is monopolised by men. So wherever possible I make writing about progressive content a key pillar of our marketing strategy, it may not make monumental changes, but it feels like a start.

The point being, there’s a variety of ways to make a change, whether its pushing yourself forward, or taking the time to educate others. People tackle feminist issues in their own way, and 9 times out of 10, it will make a difference.

There’s one trend that could be considered more harm than good, and it’s one that I’d like to dive into today. “Boss Babes”

What is a BossBabe?

BossBabe is an online community promising hands on support, social media growth (via engagement pods), help launching your own business, and all in all a return on investment.

Personally, I’ve seen countless communities that offer this service, rarely with positive outcomes. The promise of social media growth comes across as a negative, if you’re aware of the negative impacts of engagement pods, then you’ll know what I’m getting at.

But we’re not here to discuss that today either, there term “BossBabe” has grown outside the realms of this online community and become a term used by women in business. If you look hard enough, you’re bound to find an old school friend using it to promote her wax melt business, and even a few female-owned businesses.

Hashtag BossBabe

Whilst at University, I worked for a local female-owned magazine that focused on promoting small businesses and events in the area. I never thought much of them using the term on social media, until they were called out by a small networking group in the local area. Their points weren’t sophisticated, more a sub-tweeting describing “BossBabes” as yucky, stupid, and other variations. But looking back on that moment, I kind of agree with her.

Work is work, as women we push for the same standing as our male counterparts in the world of business. Yet we trivialise our successes by continuing to use a gendered, infantilised level. We’re trying to pull away from the problem, yet directly making it worse for ourselves.

If you disagree with me, imagine any male boss calling himself a “Boss Stud” or “Boy Boss”.

You may think I have an issue with addressing women as “girls”, to be honest that couldn’t be father from the truth. In fact, I always refer to myself as a girl and, even though i’m 23-years-old, I have a hard time calling myself a women - it sounds so ancient.

But there’s nothing wrong, in my opinion, with the girl as the clarifying adjective before boss. Although, don’t you think people would find the term more intimating if “women” was used - #WomanBoss or #BossWoman? Why does it make sense to dumb down this already sexist term and coining it as “girl power”?

Boss is the person in charge, someone who gives orders in a domineering manner. Because of our history of men assuming a dominant role in society and the family, people would overwhelmingly presume boss is referred to a man. Which is not anyones fault in particular, it’s the result of years of bias.

Even as a woman, we hear hear the word boss and think of a man, so women are distinguishing themselves as bosses…who are girls. But at the end of the day, a boss is a boss - it’s not a gender exclusive title. If I choose to call myself a boss, it’s because I am one, not a “boss babe” or a “girl boss”, implying that a normal boss is not female. The problem comes from using girl as a defining adjective before boss.

The path toward female entrepreneurship isn’t easy, and you often end up fighting for it on your own without a mentor or support system. It’s a point of pride to be a successful woman - successful in business, in her family, in her life, and it’s great to embrace being a girl. It’s nothing to hide from or be ashamed of.

But why do we have to be a babe, to be a boss? It feels that by having to identify ourselves as girl boss, and shouting our girl-ness and boss-ness from the rooftops feels like we’re overcompensating for something.

Just show your success by being a good boss.

Shout about your successes, big or small and know you have nothing to prove purely because of your gender. You’re a smart, qualified, talented woman in your field, you wouldn’t be where you are today without that. Don’t slam a hashtag on your efforts to discredit them. Don’t let the terms offend you, but ensure they’re not a representation of your empowerment or strength.