A New Era of Female Empowerment
For decades, women have been told progress is happening – but true equality still feels out of reach with three in four Australian women believing more still needs to be done. Instead of waiting for change though, women are dismantling old systems, tearing up the rulebook, reasserting their power, and making change happen on their own terms.
In this presentation we explore the evolving definition of female empowerment, along with the cultural forces shaping today’s women. For brands, and society, the message is clear: Evolve with them or get left behind.
Explore
Click to view the research in detail.
The Medical Movement
Financially Fierce
HER-cules
Single Not Sorry
Embracing Girlhood
Lead Like a Girl
Fem-First Design
Anti-Perfection Pride
Leisure Revenge
Soul Sisters
Explore
Click to view the research in detail.
The Medical Movement
Financially Fierce
HER-cules
Single Not Sorry
Embracing Girlhood
Lead Like a Girl
Fem-First Design
Anti-Perfection Pride
Leisure Revenge
Soul Sisters
01
THE MEDICAL MOVEMENT
Frustration | Recognition | Action
The Blind Spot
The medical system, along with medical research, has prioritised men, therefore lacking the understanding of women’s unique pain and healthcare needs. Women are taking their health into their own hands and making it more reflective of the female experience with open conversations, fem-tech innovations, and a challenge to medical misogyny.
It’s about flipping the script on a healthcare system that thought period pain, endometriosis and PCOS was “all in our heads”.
The Signals
66%
Of women experienced discrimination in healthcare settings
18%
More is spent by women on out-of-pocket medical costs than men
4%
Of medical research is specific to women, with just 2% outside oncology
Source: FemTech: Bridging Gender Gaps in Healthcare, #EndGenderBias survey
02
FINANCIALLY FIERCE
Financial Independence | Knowledge | Stability
The Blind Spot
Women are taking control of their financial futures, breaking free from a long history of financial abuse and dependency.
It’s about reclaiming power through financial independence – recognising that true freedom comes from mastering money, building wealth, and making financial choices on their own terms.
The Signals
53%
Of women feel financially independent, the highest level in three years
+18%
Women owned investments have increased +18% in the past three years
86%
Of women say investing makes them feel powerful
Source: Nine Consumer Pulse, Feb 2025, Fidelity International’s annual Women and Money study
03
HER-cules
Strength | Power | Achievement
The Blind Spot
Women are demonstrating that they are not the “weaker vessel” but have the same strength (if not more) as men. Women’s sport is being championed as a great enabler for girls to advance in life, helping them build self-esteem, resilience, stay in school longer, and get better jobs.
It’s about rethinking how we view women’s bodies, to acknowledge and celebrate their physical strength and what they’re able to achieve.
The Signals
55%
Agree women in sports are breaking stereotypes, such as physical strength and endurance
+72%
NRLW reaches 7M, an increase of +72% YoY, breaking records on screen and in person
4x
Investment into women's elite sport needs to increase 3-4x current levels to achieve gender parity
Source: Nine Consumer Pulse, Feb 2025, Women in Sport – UN Women Australia
04
SINGLE NOT SORRY
Independence | Choice | Freedom
The Blind Spot
Women are re-evaluating the benefits of being partnered and becoming a parent, with many embracing the single life. Women are choosing to stay single for longer, choosing not to have children, and refusing to settle for second-rate relationships.
It’s about ditching the Disney-princess-needs-a-prince narrative and realising that our happily ever after might just be the freedom to build a life that doesn’t need a plus-one to feel complete.
The Signals
16%
Of Australian women currently live in single-person households, and that number is set to grow
71%
Of women believe the choice for women to stay single or child-free should be celebrated, not judged
+42%
Increase in the past four years of women choosing IVF to have a baby by themselves
Source: Nine Consumer Pulse, Feb 2025, IVF Australia, Dec 2024
05
EMBRACING GIRLHOOD
Friendship | Fun | Connection
The Blind Spot
A new form of protest is found in owning girliness. From the Taylor Swift phenomena, Sabrina Carpenter, the year of the girl, girl dinner, girl maths, to friendship bracelets, we return to the innocence of girlhood to reclaim femininity in adulthood.
It’s about realising that “like a girl” isn't just pink glitter, it’s also fierce loyalty, and the kind of strength that comes from knowing exactly who you are and refusing to dial it down.
The Signals
1.3 billion
#Girlhood has more than 1.3 billion views on TikTok
$2 billion
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is the highest grossing tour in history
82%
Believe a woman’s love for traditionally feminine interests doesn’t diminish capability or intelligence
Source: Nine Consumer Pulse, Feb 2025, TikTok
06
LEAD LIKE A GIRL
Leadership | Strength | Re-invention
The Blind Spot
"Feminine” qualities are reinventing the workplace, with greater recognition of how traits such as empathy, compassion, patience and grace can make work more equitable and productive for all. Enter the fem-trepreneurs, the #bossbitches and the reinvention of girl-power.
It’s about leading with purpose, breaking boundaries with confidence, shattering masculine-coded ideals, and proving that vulnerability and strength are two sides of the same coin.
The Signals
2x
Women led businesses are growing at twice the rate of male led businesses
x5
Five qualities women bring to business: humility, empathy, resilience, compassion, and inclusivity
37%
Women representation in senior management roles, rising from 32% in 2015
Source: Nine Consumer Pulse, Feb 2025, ABC
07
FEM-FIRST DESIGN
Inclusivity | Accessibility | Ease of Use
The Blind Spot
For decades women, their unique bodies and needs have been ignored in product design. Women are rebelling against centuries of male-centred design, demanding greater inclusivity by creating products, spaces and experiences that prioritise their needs and perspectives.
It’s about reshaping the world from being male-centric to people-centric, from man-made to people-made.
The Signals
85%
Women buy or influence 85% of all consumer purchases, while 85% of product designers and engineers are men
1st
In 2024, ANCAP launched its first female crash test dummy
+17.4%
ModiBodi reinvented period care, with the category expected to grow +17.4% by 2030
Source: Nine Consumer Pulse, Feb 2025, ABC
08
ANTI-PERFECTION PRIDE
Identity | Representation | Freedom
The Blind Spot
Women are rejecting the pressure to be perfect, embracing authenticity over societal expectations. This includes challenging the objectification of women’s bodies, rejecting traditional standards of beauty and cleanliness, and speaking openly about topics once considered taboo, like periods and body hair. It’s a celebration of imperfection, whether it’s letting hair grow, speaking openly about post-partum challenges, speaking out, or simply showing up as they are. Dismantling the outdated ideals of how women should look and be seen in the world.
It’s about showing the imperfect self to the world and bringing imperfection to the mainstream as a badge of honour.
The Signals
82%
Of women think that “a woman should be proud to look her true age”
76%
Of women are more likely to trust companies if the images they use aren’t photoshopped
50%+
Of Gen Z will always check whether a brand reflects their values on body image before buying
Source: Stylus, Instagram
09
LEISURE REVENGE
Recreation | Self-care | Wellbeing
The Blind Spot
Women are rejecting the pressures of traditional female “jobs” as part of a broader push for true freedom and self-care. If feminism is the radical idea that women are people, then letting go of the constant “shoulds”, like cleaning, parenting, meal-prepping or doing laundry, becomes a radical act in itself.
It’s about reclaiming leisure time and embracing pleasure revenge against a system designed to keep women “always on”.
The Signals
30.2 hours
Women in Australia spend 30.2 hours a week doing unpaid work compared to 21.8 hours for men
32 mins
The average parent get only 32 minutes of alone time daily
70%
Of mothers report feeling guilty about taking time out for themselves
Source: Women at work, SBI, ABC
10
SOUL SISTERS
Spirtual Fulfillment | Purpose | Control
The Blind Spot
In a world overwhelmed by chaos, spirituality practices like manifesting, tarot and astrology offer a sense of control and purpose. For younger generations especially, it provides not just hope but a structured framework for envisioning a better life, at least within the bounds of their own reality.
It’s about reclaiming the power to shape their world, one manifestation at a time.
The Signals
5.7%
The global astrology market is predicted to reach $22.8 billion by 2031, growing 5.7% annually
"Manifest"
Was named Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year in 2024
38%
Of Gen Z Australian identify as spiritual, 50% believe in karma, 29% in reincarnation and 20% in astrology
Source: Stylus
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The next generation of women are feeling empowered. Are you with them?
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