Defined as “an attractive but stupid woman” by Merriam-Webster, ‘bimbo’ has been used to shame women for decades.

The word was popularized in the 1980s in reference to several scandals that involved prominent political figures and the women they cheated on their wives with. These women were young, blonde, and beautiful.

The irony is that the bimbo standard is playing exactly into what men seem to want from women. No one fits this gender stereotype better than a woman with long blond hair, wearing a pink dress and six-inch heels, who has no interest in academics.

One needs only to look to Hollywood and characters such as Cher from Clueless, Cassie from Euphoria, or Bianca from 10 Things I Hate About You to see how desirable female characters are written to have bimbo traits.

Yet, these women, most of the time, are shamed for appealing to the male gaze.

Women tend to be made fun of for being dumb, but smart women are not safe from ridicule either.

Recently, Joseph Epstein wrote an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal concerning First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, President Biden’s wife, being referred to as “doctor”. Epstein stated that she should drop Dr. from her name, because she isn’t a “real doctor”, yet, Biden earned a Doctor of Education from the University of Delaware. A doctor in any field deserves just as much recognition as a medical doctor, and this is true for men and women alike.

In this day and age, it seems that no matter what women do, they will be criticized for it.

Girls can’t like a sports team without being quizzed on every fact about it to prove they’re a “real” fan. Girls who play video games are cussed out in the chat just for being there. Girls can’t wear dresses or do their makeup or like pink without being called a bimbo. A girl who dyes her hair blue is a raging leftist. A girl who has sex is a whore, but a girl who doesn’t is a prude. Girls who voice their opinions are bitches, but girls who side with men are “pick me” girls. Women aren’t allowed to be anything other than quiet, submissive sex objects.

Of course, women like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vice President Kamala Harris are breaking barriers and entering positions of power previously unavailable to them. However, that does not negate the fact that not all women are given the same opportunities, and most women are still judged based on their appearances.

But now, they are beginning to fight back.

Chrissy Chlapecka is the face of BimboTok, a side of TikTok that encourages women, men, and “non-binary babes” to be whoever it is they want to be. Chrissy, along with other creators such as Griffin Maxwell Brooks and @fauxrich, has rebranded the word “bimbo” into an empowering title by using it in a positive way to describe themselves and their fans.

In her videos, Chlapecka rocks long blond extensions, bold graphic eyeliner, and tight pink outfits. She embodies the bimbo stereotype, and she does it with confidence. For her, dressing this way is not about appealing to men, or about getting attention. It is about freedom.

According to BimboTok, being a bimbo is all about self-love and not being held back by societal expectations. “Stop letting that negative energy keep you from loving yourself,” Chlapecka tells her fans.

Yes, you can wear pink, and six-inch heels, and have a full face of makeup on every day. Or, you can go natural, wear jeans and a t-shirt, and put your hair in a messy bun. Either way, you deserve to be respected and deserve to have your voice heard.

The reclamation of the word bimbo is sweeping the TikTok platform. Accounts such as @bimbobookclub are showing that women can dress however they want while still fighting against the patriarchy. And this is just the beginning.

Now, bimbos are embracing their femininity and using it as a weapon, rather than letting it be held against them.

So don’t let the patriarchy get you down. Wear what you want, love yourself unconditionally, and be the best bimbo you can be.