It’s ironic, isn’t it? The modern feminist movement began as a cry for liberation—yet in recent years, it seems to have circled right back to restriction. The script has flipped, and instead of championing real choice, mainstream feminism is now dictating which choices are acceptable, rewarding women not for excellence but for optics.
Many women today feel pressured to conform to a political checklist—where individuality is erased in favor of identity boxes, be it by chasing a seat in the boardroom or posting about sourdough on Instagram. But quietly, a new form of femininity is rising. One that reclaims true power through merit, integrity, and earned opportunity. One that doesn’t shout—but instead leads with real talent.
This new approach is well exemplified by the current White House administration. President Donald Trump’s appointment of Karoline Leavitt as the youngest-ever White House press secretary is more than a historic move but a blueprint for this new approach to empowering women. At just 27, Leavitt is not only a trailblazer in her role in politics, but also a new mother—a dual role that has been championed and assisted by the White House and Leavitt’s family support system.
She now works alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, forming what many are calling the most female-led administration in modern political history, with one-third of Trump’s senior leadership team being women. And notably—they weren’t chosen to fulfill quotas but have robust careers qualifying them for these positions of power.
In his Women’s History Month address this year, Trump confirmed that this administration has “more women in our cabinet than any Republican president in the history of our country.”
This is what some are calling Opportunity Feminism—a cultural and political response to modern feminism that champions women’s advancement not through mandates, but through merit. Originally articulated by Karin Lips, founder of Network of Enlightened Women, it’s not about pushing men aside or checking boxes. It’s about placing capable women in positions of influence because they can, not because they must.
Contrast this with the Biden administration’s 2021 Executive Order mandating DEI benchmarks across all federal agencies. While intended to promote inclusivity, critics argue that these mandates have had the opposite effect—prioritizing identity over ability, as characterized by Kamala Harris’ drastic defeat. When representation becomes the end goal rather than the result of a fair process, women’s unique talents are often overlooked and in turn, demeaned. The original effort of giving women equal opportunity gets squashed.
Take California’s SB 826, which required every corporate board to include at least one woman. On the surface, it sounded empowering. But in 2022, the law was ruled unconstitutional by the California Supreme Court, as it was found to violate the equal protection clause. The aftermath? Many women on boards were quietly labeled “diversity hires,” undercutting their contributions and feeding the very stereotype feminism was supposed to dismantle. Today, women occupy 32.75% of board seats in California—proving that many women rise without government mandates.
Government intervention has too often become a crutch rather than a catalyst when it comes to modern feminism. Instead of opening doors for women, it’s built with artificial scaffolding—one that many women don’t want or need. And worse, it often fails to account for the real needs of working women.
Over 41.4% of self-employed workers in the U.S. are women, yet many face regulations that prevent them from working at home or launching cottage-based businesses, despite the Home-Based Business Fairness Act. City licensing laws, zoning restrictions, and outdated labor codes conflict with this act and disproportionately impact mothers trying to raise families while contributing economically from home. Where’s the modern feminist outrage for them?
This is where fourth wave feminism has run its course and true empowerment lies—not in a headline, but in the everyday freedom to choose what kind of life a woman wants to build. As a small-business owner working from home, I may still face governmental barriers that hold me back, like occupational licensing laws that restrict job mobility, and others like me face regulations that prevent home-based businesses from thriving. And it’s not just a boardroom issue. It’s a kitchen table issue. A side-hustle-at-naptime issue. A build-a-legacy-on-your-own-terms issue.
So no, the future isn’t feminist in the way pop culture might define it. Instead, it’s fair, by allowing women to be truly valued for their contributions, not just the benchmark they meet. This not only allows for women to be recognized, but inspired to be called higher, no matter their passions or season of life-—whether that’s running a campaign, a company, or a kitchen.
Trump’s countercultural approach to empowering women, by selecting women like Leavitt, Bondi, and Wiles based purely on merit, has the potential to create a ripple effect nationally. This differing approach to feminism should inspire legislation nationwide and allow for women to have thriving opportunities to support themselves and their families. In turn, women will aid in boosting our economies and nurturing future generations simultaneously, like only we can.
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