Ah, the 90s. A time of butterfly clips, chokers, and iconic girl bands that shaped our preteen karaoke dreams. Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, TLC, Britney, Christina—they weren’t just artists; they were cultural forces who told us we could “have it all.” But what does “having it all” actually mean when you’re constantly told to be confident, independent—and, oh, don’t forget, sexy?

Let’s talk about it: 90s girl bands didn’t just serve up bops; they handed us a complicated cocktail of empowerment and impossible expectations. While they sang about girl power and independence, their image was shaped by an industry that leaned heavily on hypersexualization. Britney in a schoolgirl outfit, anyone?

These were the formative years for millennials, and the messages we soaked up during sleepovers and school dances left a mark. Studies s ...