The 52-Second TikTok That Sparked the Microfeminism Movement

It was just 52 seconds long. A woman, talking straight to the camera. No fancy edits. No viral dance. Just a casual selfie-style TikTok.

But on March 26, 2024, a new feminist movement quietly launched on TikTok - and it hasn't stopped growing since. It all started with a single sentence. So what did she say? Why did it hit such a nerve?

The day microfeminism was born

Let me take you back to March 26th 2024.

The day a new word quietly entered the feminist vocabulary: microfeminism.

Where did it all begin? On TikTok, naturally.

Ashley Chaney posted a video that would spark thousands of women to rethink the tiniest details of their day-to-day.

In it, she shared a simple habit:

Whenever I send a corporate email, I always list the woman’s name first. Even if it’s the CEO (a man) and his assistant (a woman)

Maybe you’re thinking: “Okay, so she writes the woman’s name first in the email, so what?”

Fair point.

But stick with me, because what happened next might just change your mind.

Because as any great content creator knows, you don’t just make a point - you invite a conversation. A call to action. And of course, Ashley did just that.

She asked her followers: “What are your favourite acts of microfeminism?”

The responses came pouring in.‍

“When I send letters to clients, I always write Mrs & Mr.”

“At work, I always sneak women artists into the group playlist.”

“I made my mortgage lender redo our documents to list me first. They said it didn’t matter. I said: Good, then it’s an easy change”

And then there was one comment.

Simple.

Understated.

But it hit different:

In law firms they notice

This comment got 9,899 likes.

I realised these comments weren’t just cute internet comments. They were proof that women are already doing the work - quietly pushing back against outdated norms, one email, one playlist, one introduction at a time.

As I scrolled, I felt something deeper than inspiration.

I felt seen.

There was solidarity, sisterhood, and a quiet kind of strength in every comment. It wasn’t just a thread - it was a manifestation of everyday feminism in action.

As of this date, Ashley’s video has almost 300,000 likes, it’s been saved 9,429 times, shared 8,737 times and it has 6,255 comments.

We’re talking thousands of women - each and every one doing a microfeminist act to quietly smash the patriarchy.

Clearly, there’s nothing small about microfeminism.

Microfeminism: The Small Acts That Shift Power

So let’s return to the question: “So what if Ashley writes the woman’s name first?”

I get that at first glance, it might not seem like much. A small gesture. A quiet choice.

But that’s exactly the point.

It’s the small, intentional acts that challenge the default.

They challenge the way things have always been done. Because when you flip the script - even subtly - you shift the balance.

And over time, those tiny shifts?

They add up to something powerful.

Because when you notice the small things - and choose to do them differently - that’s when real change starts.

When they ripple across workplaces, relationships, group chats, and playlists?

The impact? Huge.

The Female Invest community includes over 500,000 people worldwide. Now imagine what would happen if we all started doing them?

Final thoughts…

Researching this story, I’ve learned 3 things:

1. Smashing the patriarchy doesn’t always mean loud protests (although those are great too!).
2. A quiet revolution is still a revolution. And it only takes 52 seconds to start one.
3. Microfeminist acts are easy to do, require zero effort (well, almost), and can have a real impact.

That’s why I wanted to round off this story, sharing four easy acts of microfeminism from the TikTok comment section, you can start practicing today.

Enjoy!

1. Say Women’s Names First

Instead of “John and Sarah,” flip the script and say "Sarah and John." It’s a tiny tweak, but it pushes back against the ingrained habit of putting men first. Bonus points if you do this in introductions too!

2. Use "She" for Leadership Roles

When talking about CEOs, doctors, scientists, or presidents, default to “she” instead of “he.” Society loves assuming powerful roles are filled by men, so let’s shake things up.

3. “I’m speaking”

Inspired by Kamala Harris, if you see a woman getting talked over, casually drop a “Hey, let’s let her finish.” Not only does it highlight the issue, but it also gives the floor back to someone who was unfairly cut off. Simple as that.

4. Calling all teachers!

We need all teachers to start doing these two acts:

1) If you’re a teacher, you can do like Kayla and get the strong girls in the class to help with the heavy lifting.

And 2) When kids are sick at school, call the dads first.

Of course, there’s no better option than to follow Lauren’s great example.

So here’s your invitation: What’s your favourite microfeminist act? Drop it in the comments and let’s keep this movement growing. 💬‍

Sources:

TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamashleychaney/video/7350480639679925547?q=microfeminism%20girly&t=1716031654793

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