Dismantling patriarchy in six-inch heels with Chrissy Chlapecka
“Hello my pretty bimbabies, how are we doing today? You okay?,” is a breathy introduction to BimboTok, a space dedicated to hyperfeminine “girls, gays and theys” on TikTok. Decked in Juicy Couture, hoops and lashes, creators in this community are backed with one strong purpose: challenging gender inequalities to help build an inclusive future.
Among its pioneers is Chrissy Chlapecka, a ‘new-age bimbo’ addressing toxic masculinity and gender oppression, leading the change to transform the word ‘bimbo’ into an “all-inclusive, gender-neutral leftist icon.” To celebrate International Women’s Day 2021, Screen Shot spoke to Chlapecka to highlight her commitment towards challenging norms through her community, platform and online presence, in turn inspiring others to do the same.
“Fighting gender inequality means being yourself, loving yourself and not letting any misogynistic person get in your way,” Chlapecka preaches. The 20-year-old creator is a “radical leftist who is pro-sex work, pro-BLM, pro-LGBTQ and pro-choice.” She believes everyone deserves a space in this world despite society straitjacketing these terms of living. According to Chlapecka, challenging gender inequality includes putting our foot down and telling the world “I’m here. I’m going to take up my space and rise to the occasion. I’m going to be myself, do what I want and not apologise for it.”
With close to 80 million likes on her TikTok, Chlapecka is the creator of ‘Bimbo Bibble’, a manifesto of 10 ‘cummandments’ which include being bad at math and “barking at straight people.” The radical creator perceives bimboism and femininity as self-love with a jab at societal standards. “My community, the BimboTok, the place that I’ve created, is so important to me because all it means to me is self-love. I will wear a mini-skirt with pride and you’re not going to blame me for the way that men treat us. We’re going to blame men for the way men treat us,” she adds.
@chrissychlapecka let’s stop saying boys will be boys & actually hold them accountable. #fyp #femininityispower
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Chlapecka pens her TikToks as an open letter to viewers, seeking to foster a safe space for those who want to “embrace their femininity.” “The message that I’m sending on my platform is extremely important to me because it is something I needed to hear long ago,” she admits. With #godisawoman, #femininityispower and #stopmen, Chlapecka advises viewers to “not listen to those who are constantly bashing us, telling us that we aren’t enough,” instead churning wholesome content “for those who need somebody to tell them ‘Hey, you’ve got this. You’re okay. I love you’.”
In a recent video, Chlapecka addressed the concept of a ‘bimbo girlfriend’ with redeeming qualities such as “asking about your day, listening and actually knowing how to make you cum” with side effects including “falling deeply in love, not knowing 3+3, obsession with the colour pink, the need to castrate homophobes and stepping on patriarchy while wearing a mini skirt.” Amassing over 1 million views, Chlapecka is set to reclaim the word ‘bimbo’ in a positive, self-loving light by fearlessly embracing all of the pejorative aspects that come with the term.
The “proud bimbo” admits to valuing her emotional intelligence in efforts to transform the age-old pejorative term into a badge of honour—now worn proudly by emotionally-intellectual and sexually-empowered icons.
@chrissychlapecka UR NEW VIRTUAL BIMBO GF💖💕🌈🌸 #bimbo #bimbotok #ily #gf #ihatecaptialism
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From challenge comes change, and when asked about her advice to other young women out there looking to challenge gender identities themselves, Chlapecka stresses the need to “fully embrace who you are” and remember that “femininity is power, femininity is beauty, femininity is everything this world needs.”
“Do not let people who are energy-suckers take that away from you because you are beautiful,” Chlapecka adds, “It does not matter how you look on the outside, what matters is inside. If you’re spreading soft love and accepting everybody, that’s what it is—that’s the key.”
And quoting Chlapecka’s iconic, Pinterest-board-worthy outro to celebrate International Women’s Day this year: “I love you, now say it back.”
