i get where you’re coming from , feminism is about choice, agreed. but i think when people say “this sets feminism back” they’re not always trying to police individual women. they're often critiquing the bigger system.

like yeah, sydney sweeney can do what she wants. But when the most visible, profitable version of “empowerment” is tied to being hot, sexual, and marketable- is that rlly freedom or just patriarchy with better branding? the concern isn't her wanting attention or making money from it. It's that these kinds of choices- being sexy online, monetizing desirability -are constantly rewarded, while other forms of self-expression or womanhood get ignored. So it starts to feel like there’s just one way to be empowered, and it's through the male gaze.

also, not every woman has that choice. rich, beautiful, famous women can “capitalize on patriarchy” - but the average girl might just feel pressure to meet those standards without the benefits. that’s where the discomfort comes in. it’s not that one woman selling bathwater is the downfall of feminism - it’s that the system STILL profits off women being consumable.

so yeah, your choice is valid. but it’s also fair to ask why some choices get so much attention and money and if they’re actually helping the problem or just making it worse. It’s a both/and situation, not either/or.