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Beyond the Purple: How to Stay Real on International Women’s Day
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dhyvana
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Purple washing—the superficial use of feminism for commercial purposes—is more evident than ever. With decades of fights behind us, we still see feminism turned into just another sales pitch, another date on the promotional calendar.
As a woman and as the founder of DHYVANA, feminism is a topic that runs deep within me. It’s part of my identity. It’s not something external to me but rather a thread that runs through my personal history and shapes how I see the world. This social movement fuels my energy and stands as the pillar that upholds the values of the company I’ve built.
Real feminism—the kind that is not only celebrated once a year but lived every day—is one of the main reasons I created skincare that champions non-normative beauty and the belief that well-being should be a right.
This year, as in all previous years, I find myself reflecting again. How should I act? Is it time to change the color of our logo, or am I just following the crowd? I wonder if it is truly possible to take action without falling into opportunism.
What is Purplewashing?
Purple washing is the appropriation of feminist discourse by companies and brands for commercial gain. It’s a marketing tactic that uses a superficial version of feminism as an advertising tool, raising questions about the impact of marketing on social movements.
I first heard the term from the Spanish writer and thinker Brigitte Vasallo, who, along with feminist activists, critiques how brands adopt feminist aesthetics—like slogans and campaigns—without genuine commitment to equality. It’s often just a strategy to appear progressive while avoiding real change.
Similar to greenwashing in environmentalism and pinkwashing in the LGBTQIA+ community, purple washing allows brands to align with social causes that resonate with their audience but lack substance. It’s more about looking good than doing good.
On a broader level, purple washing can also describe how Western countries project gender progressiveness while deflecting attention from their own inequalities by highlighting the struggles of women in other cultures, particularly Muslim-majority nations.
Ultimately, the danger lies in reducing feminism to a marketable trend, distracting from real advocacy and change. It challenges us to look beyond the branding and ask whether actions align with words.
(Check out Wikipedia’s take on Purplewashing, I find its’ a good place to start)
Purple Washing: a Danger to Real Feminism?
Purple Washing is not only an empty marketing strategy but also a threat to the feminist movement and to women in general. By creating the illusion that real change is happening when inequality and sexism still prevail, it dilutes the urgency to take real action.
This effect is known as “Performative Activism” and is studied in sociology, political science, and cultural studies. It is seen in major social movements, where brands adopt the language and aesthetics of feminism without a real commitment to internal transformation. This generates a false sense of progress, slowing deep changes while capitalizing on the movement without providing real solutions to women’s issues.
So... What is the Plan on International Women’s Day?
With March 8th just around the corner, I still don’t have a clear answer to the big question: What should we do this International Women’s Day?
As a founder, purple washing brings up a real emotional conflict for me. On one hand, I deeply believe in the importance of raising our voices and standing up for our values—mine, yours, all of ours. But on the other, I can’t help but feel uncomfortable when feminism is reduced to just another marketing tool.
For me, feminism isn’t a brand strategy—it’s a core value. I don’t want us to join this conversation simply because “it’s expected,” but because we truly believe we have something meaningful to contribute.
Maybe we’ll change our logo, maybe we won’t. But what really matters isn’t the color we wear for a day—it’s how we act every day to ensure our feminist values shine through in everything we do. No matter what the calendar says.
Addendum
While deciding whether to change DHYVANA’s logo for International Women’s Day, I thought I’d share a few of the books on my nightstand—and others I hope you’ll find just as interesting.
This article on Purple Washing in the animation industry.
This reflective blog about Performative Activism in NGOs.
Another reflection from Madrid’s UCM University: Ahora todo es feminista.
Let me add a few books. If you like them and don’t know where to find them, you can check them (in Spanish) at this Women’s Bookstore.
“A Vindication of the Rights of Woman” by Mary Wollstonecraft, a pioneering feminist and the mother of Mary Shelley.
“Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter” by Simone de Beauvoir (my favorite read so far this year).
My friend Lena’s favorite, “Women, Race, & Class” by Angela Davis, essential for building an anti-racist feminism.
I’ve mentioned Judith Butler’s ideas explained in “Gender Trouble”. It’s still on my reading list.
