1.  Introduction

The popularity of the Internet and the development of digital media are reshaping the logic of social interaction and economic structure. In the context of this transformation, live streaming e-commerce, as a digital communication method that integrates social networking, marketing, and entertainment, has not only become a new trend in e-commerce but also attracted more scholarly attention to its social and cultural significance [1].

In this phenomenon, the high proportion of women participating as anchors, consumers, and even platform operators poses challenges to traditional gender division of labor and social power structures. They gradually establish their own discourse power and economic foundation through self-expression, product promotion, and interactive marketing, forming a new landscape of "her power" [2]. This process is reflected in the rise of economic data, which profoundly impacts women's cognition and positioning in the public sphere.

However, as a form of "mediated labor", live streaming sales also face tension between platform rules, audience expectations, and gender norms. Therefore, studying the interaction between consumer motivation and women's status in live streaming sales not only helps to understand gender practices in the digital economy but also provides vital insights for promoting gender equality in a digital society. This paper mainly studies the impact of live streaming platforms on the status of women, and through analyzing examples, explains how digital media platforms have changed the traditional positioning of women in the public sphere [3].

2.  Theoretical basis and research framework

This article is based on Bourdieu's "Capital Theory" and Giddens' "Structural Theory" to explore how women can accumulate social capital, cultural capital, and economic capital through live streaming platforms, thereby breaking the limitations of traditional gender structures on their public participation [4]. At the same time, with the help of consumer sociology theory, consumer behavior is regarded as symbolic activities with social significance, emphasizing the social attribute of "consumption is expression". The research adopts the method of literature analysis and case observation. Through the analysis of female anchors and their audience behavior in mainstream platforms such as Tiktok, Taobao Live, Xiaohongshu, etc., it summarizes the driving force behind consumer behavior and discusses its relationship with the women's empowerment process [5].

3.  Women's performance and role transformation on live streaming platforms

3.1.  Increased visibility of women in media platforms

Many successful female anchors not only earn considerable income through platforms, but also become guides of social discourse, such as Fu Peng, the assistant behind Li Jiaqi, and hundreds of mid-rise female anchors under the "Yaowang" brand, gradually forming a culturally influential "female content ecology". Their success is no longer limited to appearance or traditional femininity, but emphasizes their profession, personality charm, and expertise in social skills [6].

3.2.  Career path and social impact of female anchors

The career journey of female anchors is essentially a microcosm of women's participation in social and economic power in the digital age. Its development is both constrained by the invisible shackles of traditional gender concepts and benefited from the historical opportunities brought by technological empowerment [7]. In future development, individuals need to go beyond the logic of "age limitation" and achieve professional resilience through the accumulation of knowledge capital. For the industry, it is necessary to break the alienation logic of "women is goods" and construct a content-based evaluation system. For society, it is necessary to face up to the identity of broadcasters as laborers and incorporate them into the mainstream narrative of professional dignity and social security. Only through the collaboration of the three can the social innovation value of this group be truly unleashed, rather than falling into the trap of "technological progress and gender regression".

4.  Analysis of consumer motivation and social significance

4.1.  Emotional connection and trust construction

Live streaming has strong interactivity; female anchors often establish trust with the audience through emotional resonance and detailed communication. Research has shown that emotional connection has become one of the important factors for consumers to repeat purchases [1]. The audience regards the anchor as a "friend" rather than a "salesperson", increasing their willingness to participate and consume [8].

4.2.  Authenticity and cultural identity

Compared to the idealized female image in traditional advertisements, women in live broadcasts have authenticity and a lively feeling. Their 'ordinary' creates a sense of psychological security and closeness for the audience. As a customer said, "She is as authentic as I am, so I am willing to listen to her recommendations [9].

4.3.  Gender identity and symbolic consumption

Many viewers, especially female consumers, are actually "identifying with a female image" when watching live broadcasts. Consumer behavior is not only a commodity transaction, but also a cultural expression. Supporting a certain anchor often means identifying with their lifestyle and gender expression [10].

5.  Media empowerment mechanism and platform structural role

5.1.  Platform policies and women's support programs

In recent years, Taobao, Tiktok, Xiaohongshu and other platforms have set up "She Chuang Plan", "Women's Celebrity Support Project", and other women's entrepreneurship support plans to provide women with content exposure, traffic distribution, and training resources. These policies not only provide resources for women but also encourage gender diversity expression at the platform level [11].

5.2.  From individual empowerment to group empowerment

The success of individual anchors has gradually driven the formation of the "she economy" ecology and promoted the collective awakening of women. Many women are beginning to realize that "expressing themselves" and "economic independence" are important ways of social participation and are trying to break through the boundaries of professional gender [12].

5.3.  The tension between women's "visibility" and "power"

Although platforms provide a platform for expression, "visibility" does not equate to "power". Many female anchors. Although they receive attention from others, they still face gender expectations, such as managing their appearance and expressing their emotions. Therefore, women's "platform empowerment" does not mean that structural cultural factors do not influence them, but rather empowered. Structural cultural factors do not influence them [13].

6.  Challenges, limitations, and reflections

6.1.  Reproduction of gender labels

Some platforms strengthen the label of "beautiful anchor" in pursuit of traffic, leading to a single and commercialized image of women, which may exacerbate gender stereotypes.

6.2.  Implicit discipline of emotional labor

Female anchors are often expected to be "emotionally stable" and "positive", requiring a lot of emotional labor to maintain audience relationships. This kind of 'emotional discipline' is often overlooked, but it is implicit gender pressure [14].

7.  Conclusion

This article analyzes the methods adopted by online live streaming platforms to improve the status of women and their positive effects to demonstrate their positive impact on the advancement of women's status. Live streaming sales is an important platform for women to enter society and realize themselves. Female anchors have accumulated economic, social, and cultural capital as anchors, transforming from being watched to having a dominant perspective. This transformation is reflected in income and professional status and fundamentally changes the public's cultural perception of women. It is not enough for the platform to give the stage. Platform systems, fair algorithms, policy guidance, social culture, and other factors can achieve women's empowerment. We can prove these points by analyzing specific examples, including some male anchors such as Li Jiaqi. It has been found that female anchors can learn some advantages from male anchors, such as rationality, strength, sharp language, etc. In the future, we should encourage the presentation of diverse female images and break gender monotony; Establish a psychological health and emotional labor support mechanism for female content creators; Establish a gender friendly platform recommendation mechanism to ensure equal opportunities for women in terms of algorithms. The true empowerment of women in the digital space may only be achieved through institutional, cultural, and structural means. Overall, there is still a long way to go to improve women and help them break free from traditional concepts through online live streaming platforms because this involves deeper issues that need to be addressed, such as societal stereotypes of women, consumer demands, and the value that female broadcasters can provide.