Microfeminism: how is TikTok trend influencing society?
Microfeminism is a term that gained popularity in March 2024 when American blogger and producer Ashley Cheney recorded a video on TikTok sharing her experiences from her previous workplace. Ashley said she noticed widespread belittling of women and their work. The video talked about all the instances that seemed minor at first glance, but they painted an unpleasant picture in which female employees were valued and respected less than their male colleagues.
If Ashley needs to write a letter to a man whose assistant is a woman, she puts the woman's email first in the address line. It's a small thing, but it shows that the assistant's work is important and visible. In the comments, the women shared their small steps in support of gender equality. For example, a lawyer always puts women first in family real estate purchase agreements, and an office worker deliberately depicted men cleaning the kitchen and toilets on posters about the importance of cleanliness in common areas.
Microfeminism is a concept that describes small, everyday actions or habits aimed at supporting gender equality. These are not large political campaigns, but small actions in everyday life that help reduce sexism and support feminist ideas.
Why is this important? At first glance, it may seem that such insignificant actions are of no use, but if you delve deeper into this topic, you can understand that such small acts of feminism fundamentally change society. Over centuries of patriarchy, many attitudes have become so deeply ingrained in people's minds that they are not even subject to criticism. Even people who support feminist ideas and consider them fair may follow gender stereotypes in their daily lives. And they do so not because they agree with them, but simply out of habit.
One striking example of the application of microfeminism is its use in parenting and raising children. Sarah Bergell told Parents magazine about how she uses microfeminism in parenting. A single mother, she is raising two children and working full-time. She has joint custody of her children, which is not easy for her. "Right before the start of summer, there was a school meeting that I couldn't attend. I had a job interview that day and hoped that my ex-husband would accept my absence without any fuss. But instead of going to the meeting himself, he sent an email to the school to make sure that my absence would not be a ‘problem’," she says.
Microfeminism in parenting manifests itself through everyday actions that gradually change the traditional distribution of roles in the family and make raising children more equal. In the context of feminist ideas, this means not only talking about equality, but also implementing it in everyday family life.
The problem with our society is that the role of the father in family relationships and child-rearing often remains nominal, while women are responsible for both parents. It is often believed that women should be responsible for raising children, doing housework, and caring for their health and education, while men are expected to provide financial support for the family. As a result, all the day-to-day care of the child — from helping with homework to dealing with everyday issues — falls on the mother's shoulders.
Microfeminism in parenting proposes to change this situation through small but meaningful actions. For example, when fathers actively participate in raising their children: helping with homework, attending school meetings, caring for their children, making decisions together with mothers, and spending quality time with their children. Such actions show children that care, responsibility, and emotional support are not “women's duties” but a natural part of any parent's role. In addition, microfeminism manifests itself in how parents raise their children. This can be a rejection of stereotypes such as “boys don't cry” or “girls should be quiet and obedient.” Instead, parents try to support their child's interests and emotions regardless of gender, teaching respect, equality, and mutual support. In addition, they do not divide household chores into male and female tasks, but divide them equally among their children so that boys are taught from childhood to clean up after themselves or prepare meals.
Psychotherapist Natalie Savell notes that we are the first generation to rewrite this script and make society understand that every parent has equal responsibility. “We are probably the first generation of women to be aware of all these little things in which we are not given equality, and to start demanding it and pointing out the inconsistencies. Even if the resistance is just saying, ‘No, I can't come to this meeting’ or ‘Not this time,’ - she says.
Microfeminism is a term that gained popularity in March 2024 when American blogger and producer Ashley Cheney recorded a video on TikTok sharing her experiences from her previous workplace. Ashley said she noticed widespread belittling of women and their work. The video talked about all the instances that seemed minor at first glance, but they painted an unpleasant picture in which female employees were valued and respected less than their male colleagues.
If Ashley needs to write a letter to a man whose assistant is a woman, she puts the woman's email first in the address line. It's a small thing, but it shows that the assistant's work is important and visible. In the comments, the women shared their small steps in support of gender equality. For example, a lawyer always puts women first in family real estate purchase agreements, and an office worker deliberately depicted men cleaning the kitchen and toilets on posters about the importance of cleanliness in common areas.
Microfeminism is a concept that describes small, everyday actions or habits aimed at supporting gender equality. These are not large political campaigns, but small actions in everyday life that help reduce sexism and support feminist ideas.
Why is this important? At first glance, it may seem that such insignificant actions are of no use, but if you delve deeper into this topic, you can understand that such small acts of feminism fundamentally change society. Over centuries of patriarchy, many attitudes have become so deeply ingrained in people's minds that they are not even subject to criticism. Even people who support feminist ideas and consider them fair may follow gender stereotypes in their daily lives. And they do so not because they agree with them, but simply out of habit.
One striking example of the application of microfeminism is its use in parenting and raising children. Sarah Bergell told Parents magazine about how she uses microfeminism in parenting. A single mother, she is raising two children and working full-time. She has joint custody of her children, which is not easy for her. "Right before the start of summer, there was a school meeting that I couldn't attend. I had a job interview that day and hoped that my ex-husband would accept my absence without any fuss. But instead of going to the meeting himself, he sent an email to the school to make sure that my absence would not be a ‘problem’," she says.
Microfeminism in parenting manifests itself through everyday actions that gradually change the traditional distribution of roles in the family and make raising children more equal. In the context of feminist ideas, this means not only talking about equality, but also implementing it in everyday family life.
The problem with our society is that the role of the father in family relationships and child-rearing often remains nominal, while women are responsible for both parents. It is often believed that women should be responsible for raising children, doing housework, and caring for their health and education, while men are expected to provide financial support for the family. As a result, all the day-to-day care of the child — from helping with homework to dealing with everyday issues — falls on the mother's shoulders.
Microfeminism in parenting proposes to change this situation through small but meaningful actions. For example, when fathers actively participate in raising their children: helping with homework, attending school meetings, caring for their children, making decisions together with mothers, and spending quality time with their children. Such actions show children that care, responsibility, and emotional support are not “women's duties” but a natural part of any parent's role. In addition, microfeminism manifests itself in how parents raise their children. This can be a rejection of stereotypes such as “boys don't cry” or “girls should be quiet and obedient.” Instead, parents try to support their child's interests and emotions regardless of gender, teaching respect, equality, and mutual support. In addition, they do not divide household chores into male and female tasks, but divide them equally among their children so that boys are taught from childhood to clean up after themselves or prepare meals.
Psychotherapist Natalie Savell notes that we are the first generation to rewrite this script and make society understand that every parent has equal responsibility. “We are probably the first generation of women to be aware of all these little things in which we are not given equality, and to start demanding it and pointing out the inconsistencies. Even if the resistance is just saying, ‘No, I can't come to this meeting’ or ‘Not this time,’ - she says.
Abdullaeva Diyora.
