Content creator Olivia Appleberry has posted a viral critique of modern feminism, arguing that contemporary ideas of empowerment have left many women emotionally exhausted and disconnected from traditional family life.
In an Instagram video shared alongside the caption, “A fake movement that actually just makes women more miserable,” Appleberry questioned why women should support a movement she believes prioritizes corporate productivity over personal fulfillment and motherhood.
“Why would I support a movement that has convinced women to leave the home, spend less time raising their own children, and hand that job over to systems and corporations instead?” she asked in the video.
Appleberry’s comments reflect a growing online discourse among some creators promoting “traditional femininity,” “feminine energy,” and lifestyle models that centers domestic life, slower living, and gender distinctions over career-centered ideals.
She argued that modern definitions of success for women often normalize burnout, stress, and emotional strain.
“Why would I support a movement that told women success means burnout, stress, antidepressants, drinking more, and spending your life in a corporate office?” she said.
The creator also referenced biological and hormonal differences between men and women, claiming modern work culture expects women to function according to systems historically designed around male productivity patterns.
“Women do not operate like men biologically,” Appleberry said. “Yet society expects women to live, work, and compete exactly like men while ignoring their nature completely.”
Her comments quickly sparked polarized reactions online. Supporters praised the video for challenging what they view as unrealistic social expectations placed on women in modern society, particularly the pressure to balance career achievement with family responsibilities.
“Feminism was the first wave of destruction of the family and society,” one advocate commented.
Critics, however, argued that Appleberry’s framing oversimplifies feminism and ignores the movement’s historical role in expanding women’s legal rights, educational access, workplace opportunities, and personal autonomy.
“Feminism enabled u to gain wealth with the businesses u own,” one commenter said in disagreement.
The discussion highlights an increasingly visible divide online between women who embrace traditional gender roles and those who view feminism as essential to economic independence and social equality. Social media platforms have become major spaces for these debates, with creators often framing empowerment through sharply different lenses.
Appleberry clarified that she is not opposed to ambition itself, but rather to cultural expectations she believes disconnect women from family and femininity.
“I’m not against women having ambition,” she said. “I’m against anything that destroys family, disconnects women from their femininity, and calls it freedom.”
The video has since fueled broader conversations about work-life balance, mental health, gender expectations, motherhood, and the evolving meaning of empowerment in modern culture.
