Gaslight gatekeep girlboss
Meaning
An ironic or satirical phrase used to critique performative female empowerment that prioritizes individual success and control, sometimes at the expense of others, rather than genuine communal support.
Origin
The phrase "Gaslight gatekeep girlboss" burst onto the internet scene around 2020, rapidly becoming a viral meme. It playfully, yet pointedly, fused three distinct concepts already prevalent in online discourse. "Gaslight" refers to manipulative psychological tactics, "gatekeep" describes the act of controlling access to a community or knowledge, and "girlboss" was an earlier, often-critiqued term for a successful, entrepreneurial woman. By combining these, the phrase satirizes a specific brand of performative female empowerment—one that appears to champion women's success but, in practice, might involve manipulation, exclusivity, and a self-serving, individualistic pursuit of power. It emerged as an ironic shorthand to critique those who embody these characteristics, transforming a perceived aspirational archetype into a cultural punchline.
Examples
- After seeing the influencer's post about her 'self-made' success that seemed to ignore her family's wealth, Sarah muttered, 'classic gaslight gatekeep girlboss behavior.'
- The new manager's approach to team leadership was met with mixed reactions, with some calling it inspiring and others dismissing it as just another 'gaslight gatekeep girlboss' strategy.