Feminist Consumerist?

She it was to whom ads were dedicated: the ideal consumer, the subject and object of every foul poster.

This quote is from Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. And this piece is on the relation between consumerism and feminism.

A while ago, I saw a tweet that said “Just found out that 85% of the purchases in the world are made by women and I want to throw up and not buy a single thing ever again. Consumerism is anti-feminist.”

And someone quoted said tweet saying “Girl this isn't because women are deluded by consumerism, it's because women do most of the household shopping.”

Which one is it? Are women the primary consumerists? Or is it simply the result of gender roles in consumption? 

It can be said that the former tweet excludes any necessary purchase, and thus fails to paint a realistic picture of the situation, as is mentioned in the quote retweet. However, the latter also fails because the tweeter gets defensive and ignores the possibility that women might be affected by consumerism and its many ways to constantly attract new and existing customers.

It's called lipstick index. Coined by Leonard Lauder, the Chairman Emeritus of Estée Lauder, one of the world's biggest cosmetic companies, the term refers to a consumption habit that manifests itself during tough economic times when people choose affordable luxuries -such as cosmetics (hence the name!)- to treat themselves and escape from the bleakness of their economic situation. 

But is it women only that turn to consumption of luxury items when times get tough? According to a survey by Deloitte, it is not. The survey took six months to complete with nearly 150.000 consumers from 23 different countries. And the data shows that men splurge as much as women and they spend more when they do.

The most common treat is food and beverages, followed respectively by clothing and accessories, personal care, and electronics and accessories. 

An article from Finance Buzz states that women drive the bulk of purchases, and account for up to 80% of customer spending. However, 78.2% of these women are the primary grocery shoppers for their families. Research by Capital One similarly found that 89% of women are responsible for their household’s shopping, while only 41% of men claim that responsibility.

Still, and this is coming from personal experience, consumerism is infectious. Just this year, I found myself on the brink of an impulse purchase many more times than I care to admit. Suddenly, I feel the need for a little treat to get through the day, or I'm in desperate need of that one skirt I saw on Pinterest, or that Nappa leather pocket bag I saw in one of those what's in my bag videos. In college, a friend of mine was really invested in boosting her feminine energy, which brought with it a wardrobe makeover, purchasing some herbs and accessories. My aunt recently decided she wanted to make her kitchen all white, changing pretty much everything from the counter to the major appliances. A few weeks ago a woman tweeted a photo of her collection of Stanley tumblers in a dozen different colors. And more than a dozen times I've seen someone praising Hailey Bieber's new phone that can hold a Rhode lip gloss. These expenses do not necessarily result from necessity but want. I want something new, something shiny, something to excite me for a moment, something now. 

This is not to blame consumerism and its consequences on women, as media often does, but to acknowledge our contribution to the problem, and thus be able to work towards a solution. 

Stripping feminism from class struggle led to the isolation of disadvantaged groups of both women and children. There are all these brands supporting feminism that benefit them more than those who need it. Many of these brands (there's a list down below) use our need for a treat to gain more power over us, to the point where it does not matter if they use child labor, or be openly complicit in genocide. And some of these people already lack access to basic human needs. These children forced to work so that major companies can profit more are deprived of what we would call an ordinary life. Millions of infants die every year from malnutrition. And it is no bed of roses in developing or even developed countries.  

Many women die in childbirth due to the lack of a proper health system. Many lack access to period supplies, it has a name: it's called period poverty. I can barely afford them myself, and I feel grateful for it. But I must be angry. I can only break free of this habit when I remind myself of the inequality that is the default characteristic of patriarchal capitalism. Lacking a motive to pursue in life, it is probable for one to isolate, and amuse oneself with constant consumption. It does not make one happy, and if it does, not for long. 

And I believe it calls for a movement, something big and loud, to unite us for a fair end. I believe it calls for a feminist revolution. 

Sources:

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/consumer-behavior-trends-state-of-the-consumer-tracker/splurge-spending-inflation-lipstick-index.html

https://financebuzz.com/male-vs-female-spending-statistics

https://content.wisestep.com/companies-use-child-labor/