The Pedagogy of the Pink Pilates Princess
Written By Maha Khan
The paradigm of the ideal 20-somethings woman goes something like this: begin each day with a perfectly curated high-end skin care routine, wear a Lululemon define jacket and walk to an upmarket reformer pilates class, Stanley Cup in one hand, iced matcha in the other, only to come home and read The Bell Jar and despair over the perils of girlhood. If any of this sounds familiar to you, you are likely someone who engages in ‘pink pilates princess’ based pop culture, through one or many social media platforms or through your community. If you aren’t familiar with it, consider yourself somewhat fortunate not to be a victim of post-feminist healthism and the consumerist culture driving the ‘modern woman’.
Post-feminist healthism represents the nexus of feminism, femininity and neoliberal pop culture. It positions women’s health concerns within an individualistic framework, rather than a systemic one, perpetuating the idea that women’s health concerns are matters of personal responsibility and self-governance. By prescribing solutions of self-transformation and consumerist engagement, attention is diverted away from the lack of knowledge and accessibility for all women. As is seen so often in women’s health, ‘autonomy’ appears to come alongside a lack of information and understanding.
Contemporary neoliberal culture frames the empowerment of women in terms of individual choice and self-optimisation. This leads us to believe we are in complete control of our circumstances, and the answers to our problems lie in our own hands. This idea distastefully washes over the systemic and structural barriers that impact the majority of women’s daily lives, especially preventing them from accessing popular means of health and wellness. Today, we find ourselves living with a market-driven illusion of autonomy.
Post-feminist healthism can have detrimental effects not only on the participants, but also on the marginalised majority of women who are excluded from its privileged frameworks. Humans exist with an innate desire to be ‘normal’. This feeling, in tandem with social media trends, works against us, as it has allowed each group in society to develop their own version of the ‘perfect normal’. There is an emphasis on the notion that achieving ‘good health and wellness’ equates to having a good life, moral virtue, and success. Whilst this phenomenon isn’t new and can be observed throughout history, our continued willingness to engage in it is surprising. We are consciously choosing to consume media that pushes constant self-monitoring, hyper-individualism and unattainable ideals. Constantly exposed to ‘the next best thing’, the desire to improve oneself seems within our grasp by just purchasing a new product. Due to the rise of social media influencers as well as traditional celebrities, the health and wellness industries have managed to target their primary modern day consumer.
Who is the ‘pink pilates princess’? The term was recently coined by Spotify in their 2024 wrapped, categorising thousands of pop music enjoyers into the genre of ‘pink pilates princess’, though this is not a novel concept. In the contemporary wellness market, this emerging archetype epitomises a young, socially mobile woman, with an implicit assumption of financial security and minimal external responsibilities. The aesthetic of femininity is being sold to us, ranging from probiotic coconut yoghurts to daily greens; the wellness industry is continuously expanding its repertoire of elite health commodities. Whilst consumerism certainly isn’t a profound concept, it is imperative that we try to evaluate and recognise the damaging effects of chasing after this ideal lifestyle. The social construction of ‘health’—shaped by an algorithmic culture and digital self-representation—has led to a proliferation of wellness ideals that are exclusionary and ultimately unattainable for anyone who has normal responsibilities. Thus, we find ourselves struggling in the endless pursuit of self-development, feeling the pressure to find time within our day-to-day lives amongst work, university, family and social commitments. Outside the realm of this culture, there are the issues of exclusion and perpetuating health inequalities. Within it, there is the breeding of personal dissatisfaction and an alarming undertone of eating disorder glamourisation.
Why is the cost of modern womanhood so steep? Whether economic strain, mental or physical health, it appears that achieving the new gold standard for ‘wellness’ comes at a price. As for money, the answer is obvious. The health and wellness industries are making a significant profit from women’s insecurities, creating products to help us attain the perfection we so desperately crave, the result of which is a burden on our bank accounts. From high-end workout clothes to exclusive gym memberships, boasting fitness is the social indicator for a good life. As for mental health, the consequences of this relentless marketing is far greater. It is well known that social media usage is a risk factor for the development of eating disorders. Constant exposure to online health, fitness and wellness trends has caused an increase in eroded body image, particularly in the 10-24 age category. We have not moved far from the days of Kate Moss’ infamous “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. At the time, the supermodel’s 2009 quote sparked media outrage and was met with intense criticism as it was seen to be promoting anorexia. However, a quick scroll through Tik Tok today will tell you that this idea has far from been eradicated and the innovation of ‘skinnytok’ is merely a recycling of the 90’s era ‘heroin chic’ look, guised as wellness.
All this begs the question, are there ways to engage in wellness that is beneficial without being exploitative? Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer and it is difficult to conjure a solution that acknowledges the full spectrum of socio-economic disparities that affect women today. It is imperative to understand that even having the time to be a consumer and spend time considering health and wellness is a privilege in itself. However, if you do find yourself in the position to reflect on this, try and think about many of the wellness trends you participate in that make you truly feel good, and which aspects are causing you to become more self-critical, constantly spending and striving for more.
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