Many women today use the term “bad bitch” as a compliment. Urban Dictionary has defined the term “bad bitch” as a “self respected, strong female who has everything together. That consists of body, mind, finances, and swagger. Also, a female who does and gets hers by any means necessary.”

Ladies who fit the Urban Dictionary definition use “bad bitch” as a symbol of female empowerment. They take pride in the fact they have taken something meant to be offensive, and turned it into something positive.

Evelyn Pelczar, contributor of Elite Daily, said you can “take two negative words and turn it into one of the biggest compliments one could give or receive.”

Take a minute to search “bad bitch” on the internet. Chances are that images of half-naked women posing provocatively will take over the screen. True female role models who fit the description of being “self respected” and “strong” such as Susan B. Anthony, Dolores Huerta, or Rosa Parks are nowhere in sight.

Strong women who impacted history may not be seen as anything more than just a name in a textbook.

Advocates for the use of “bad bitch” often blame hip-hop for ruining the positive meaning behind the term.

“Hip-hop culture has corrupted the idea of what it means to be a sexy, independent woman,” Pelczar said. “There are girls nowadays crowning themselves as ‘bad bitches’ just because they have a loud mouth and can twerk on demand,”

For years, women have struggled to fight for equality and it seems that when we take one step forward, we end up taking two steps back. The emergence of “bad bitch” is just another setback that women have created for themselves. It is a slap in the face to the women who dedicated their lives to making sure we are treated with dignity.