Female Empowerment Advertising Discourse Shaping from a Post-Feminist Perspective: A Case Study of Sina Weibo

Abstract

The internet has facilitated the global spread of female empowerment advertising. While achieving significant commercial success, these ads have been criticized for their post-feminist discourse, which might worsen gender inequality. This paper interprets the concept of "female empowerment advertising" through a post-feminist lens, references prior studies, and examines typical cases to outline four main discursive dimensions of such advertising. Research shows that while these ads seem to sculpt an image of independent women, the underlying logic still aligns with traditional male views of femininity or a pursuit of male power, essentially representing a pseudo-independence. Future discursive expressions in female empowerment advertising must authentically represent women's diversity without diminishing other subjects to accurately convey the consciousness of female self-liberation in the post-feminist era.