REDHOTCHIX AND THE AGGRESSIVIST MOVEMENT
My name is Brigitta Benitez founder of REDHOTCHIX, the newest women empowerment brand in LA that shines a new light on femininity through an online women’s apparel store.
I just recently opened a women empowerment brand that goes against the stereotype of femininity. I believe the word femininity is stereotyped as fragile, submissive, nurturing, and passive-aggressive. As strong as women may be, stereotyping subliminally effects us. I don’t know if this has happened to you (if a woman) but right when you feel like you are in control you almost feel wrong. Like, was I allowed to do that? You question yourself. But for me, I learned how to break through the “feminine” stereotype. I created a company called REDHOTCHIX which is to empower women by the tag line itself “AGGRESSIVE IS THE NEW FEMININE.” It really caters to all women but it also really caters to the women that grew up different, an outsider, strong, aggressive, fierce, competitive, and likes to hang with the boys type of girl but identified as a woman who Is straight and still wanted to live the “feminine” lifestyle with her girlfriends without having to feel uncomfortable because of the way she acts (rough) versus the soft quiet cute girl that people like to call feminine.
The way I present this idea is that we are standing surrounded by barrier walls of femininity in which the shadows of that wall cast the largest shadow on us, hiding us from full exposing that aggressiveness, fierceness, and go-getter(ness) about us. With my brand, I’m striving to break down those walls…Here is how.
Believe it or not, I never was a feminist. I was all for women’s rights OBVI and I always rebelled against any man that tried to shut me down. Believe me. But I felt that one of the reasons it’s hard for us to break into male-dominated industries or industries in which they are not hiring women is because we are trapped behind the stereotype of femininity, we can’t fully expose that inner fire or aggressiveness because we grew up with what it’s like to be a “feminine” woman- those like me that know how to break past that barrier are called #aggressivists.
I came up with the word AGGRESSIVIST which is a slight change in the overall word feminist. We are women that are not afraid to be who we want to be and we can be as aggressive as we want to be in our lives. You can still be that hot, sexy, cute girl with that rough side. With my brand, I am creating a segment in which I reach out to women and I speak about ways to motivate them, inspire them, and help them. I want them to be comfortable in their own skin. I want them to be AGGRESSIVE not physically aggressive but mentally aggressive. TOUGH. I am not putting down feminists, I just never identified as a feminist because I believe that asking for change isn’t going to give us change. Not to mention, the word feminine is a word that is very stereotyped.
As said above. We need to be the change. We need to get our asses up and start changing our lives, proving ourselves, push ourselves to be the better version of ourselves. We can have change if there are women who are aggressive enough to pursue their dreams and inspire while doing it, and those are the AGGRESSIVISTS. We don’t ask for change, we are the change. I felt that changing the word from feminist to aggressivist would allow huge overall mental changes in women. Allowing them to really fully engage in their abilities. Knowing that the stereotype is molded into something more dynamic and open for them to be who they want without being shut down by what’s supposed to be “feminine”.
You can wear aggressivists apparel and shop the online collection full of cute crop tops, crewnecks, athletic attire, t-shirts, and more for my movement.
Give it a check out:
www.facebook.com/redhotchixstore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BRIGITTA BENITEZ
I grew up an intense and aggressive tomboy that didn’t quite blend in well because people were too caught up in the idea of what a “girl” was supposed to be like or act. Well, guess what?! I’m an outsider and I don’t care what people think. I am just as capable as any man and I am just as aggressive as one in my personal life and in my business life. One thing for sure is I can be the stereotypical woman but I am rough a little that has a passion to empower women to be whatever they want to be. Because I know what its like to feel belittled because of what is “right”. You know what’s right?! Not living in a boundary and it’s okay to be intense, rough, and most importantly AGGRESSIVE. Not physically aggressive, but mentally aggressive.
