Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss
what it means
A joke rewrite of "live, laugh, love". It skewers the idea that success advice for women had become indistinguishable from advice to behave badly.
An ironic motto mocking corporate feminism by pairing empowerment language with manipulative behaviour.
the origin story
Emerged on Twitter and Tumblr in 2021 as a satirical slogan.
It landed during a broader backlash against "girlboss" as a concept, after several high-profile founders faced criticism over workplace culture. The phrase became a shorthand for that entire critique, and appeared on merchandise almost immediately.
in the wild
She lied to everyone and got the promotion.
Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss.
What's your strategy for this week?
Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss.
how to use it
- Ironically describing ambitious or manipulative behaviour
- Discussing the girlboss backlash
- Fandom commentary about morally grey characters
- About actual gaslighting, which is a serious form of abuse
- In professional contexts
- Sincerely as advice
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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Cheat Code
A trick or advantage that makes something much easier than it should be.