YOU can bet babes like Ris Low are not afraid of big bad Virginia Woolf.

Woolf, the writer who was partly responsible for the feminist movement in the 1960s, also inspired a lot of women to burn their bras. A Triumph of sorts for liberated mammary glands.

Fast forward to now and women are empowered, with voting rights, but still make mean chapatis.

They have progressed to become the wives of presidents, to run women’s magazines owned by big, ugly men and hit the golf ball, well, like men.

They also have the right to slog in sweat shops for minimal pay.

Today women can wear pant suits a la Hillary Clinton, and some even let their hairy chins go.

My goodness, how is that for progress?

And so we have the Ris Lows and Xiaxues who exercise their right to broadcast their intellect, such as it is.

To challenge the hegemony of a male constructed world, they don the tiniest of handkerchief-inspired tops, a twist to Woolf-inspired cleavage chief bonfires.

I say kudos to them. They must have torn through Michel Foucault, inspired by his work on power and discourse, and Emmanuel Levinas’ work on othering.

I have no doubt they base their challenge of male dominance by first reading Antonio Gramsci’s work on hegemony with a keen eye on cultural theorists, the likes of Stuart Hall, Louis Althusser, Pierre Bourdieu and, dare I say it, Karl Marx.

Listen carefully to the bikini chicks. Yes, focus on what they say and eyes off their well-toned and silky-smooth bodies.

They all want to be taken seriously.

They are not mere objects to be ogled at, unless it is for a few more eyeballs.

They are basking in their 15 minutes of fame before gravity takes over, except for those with silicone valleys of course.

Even before removing their tops, these babes must have read up diligently.

Yes, they lapped up every word in Cosmo, Bimbo and watched a fair number of quality shows on music channels to catch up on the writings of Richard Marx.

Their belief and value systems are built on good foundation, which they slap on liberally, having raided daddy’s secret stash.

Can you blame them though?

Every reality show is about a ditzy dame who does well.

The other Ris, Hilton that is, makes millions being stupid.

The bright ones who go around negotiating nuclear treaties get little coverage.

The mannish women tennis players get little air time. Instead tongues wag over five-time losers from Russia or former Eastern-bloc countries.

Drama shows are about women who are good at work only because they have failed relationships. Local dramas are about women who are raped.

These babes are the true intellects, challenging the Gimli-like libbers who represent the Feminist movement of old.

They are teaching the old guard a thong, I mean,thing or two about being free.

Go on then.

You know us guys completely respect you for your thoughts on, errr, world peace.

This article was first published in The New Paper.