We are now on day seven of Shane Gillis's joke causing an absolute meltdown among strong and empowered women.
It's weird that something as mundane as a joke about gym clothes could cause that much outrage among women who are of the strong and empowered variety, as anyone who is strong and empowered likely wouldn't be bothered in the least by a joke, but here we are... strong, empowered, and a victim.
I've been covering the reaction to the Shane Gillis joke that impacted the culture like a MOAB on a Taliban bunker, or so you'd think. Women all over the internet have been expressing their displeasure over Gillis saying the clothes some of them wear to the gym are whorish in nature, which he's entirely correct about.
What's been interesting to watch is the evolution of the response. First came the women setting up their cameras to show themselves working out in their gym clothes and showing off their butts in some sort of defiant gesture, not just to Gillis, but to anyone who thinks their workout attire is inappropriate. White-knighting men like actor Dan Levy, who is gay and doesn't understand why something is whorish, accused Gillis and people like him of misogyny.
Then came women who claimed to have gone to college to study comedy, trying to explain why Gillis's joke was actually bad comedically. To be clear, they failed.
As one woman pointed out, people are fooling themselves if they think what women are opposing Gillis on is empowering. As she says, she trains girls a lot, and their social media feeds and TikTok algorithms are filthy with content that shows women and girls how to give themselves wedgies that show off their butt more. Incredibly useful for getting attention, especially on social media.
Shane Gillis is a bully. I bet he gave people wedgies in school. https://t.co/Z8jnl6Wxzb
— DⒶⓋe Wright the Thinker 🦔 (@DaveWThinker) October 15, 2026
As I said previously, this is an attention economy, and sex sells. Many of these women don't want to admit that they're sexualizing themselves, but they are.
Regardless, it was a massive overreaction, at least by normal standards, but to the standards of the modern feminist and perpetually online girlboss, this was a fantastic opportunity.
The reason this backlash is still ongoing is that, well... it's an attention economy, and attention doesn't just come from sex. One of the biggest benefits for these people is that they can now self-victimize. They're being attacked by the patriarchy! Men are trying to limit women again!
Victimhood points are worth their weight in gold in mainstream culture. It gives you a moral currency that allows you to excuse any kind of behavior you engage in that is clearly self-serving and corrupt. You don't need to acknowledge hard truths with this kind of superiority. You can live comfortably with "your truth."
And you can take that kind of mentality to the internet, where you'll be validated endlessly by other women, and receive those sweet, sweet dopamine and serotonin hits that so many have become addicted to in the age of the permanently online. You get to reinforce your strong, independent woman credentials to the applause and approval of your peers.
For many "modern" women, that's the height of success. You stood up and made an impact! You set a great example! You were approved of by people who are just as moral and powerful as you are!
All you gotta do is express your outrage that someone suggested your brand of morality isn't actually as moral as you've led yourself to believe.
Keep in mind that many of these people are the same ones who rushed to Lindsay Clancy's defense after she strangled her three children. These are the same women who swarmed to attack Sydney Sweeney after she appeared in the buff for a sports betting app commercial, or even more mildly, appeared in an American Eagle ad to promote jeans.
The same women who want to wave their butt at you and get mad at you for doing so believe they can define real morality better than you can.
And honestly, that's probably a funnier joke than anything Shane Gillis ever told.
