"What It Feels Like for a Girl" debuted at number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart of May 5, 2001, and moved to number 46 the following week, becoming in the biggest leap of that week. The release of the DVD single, CD maxi and 12-inch vinyl prompted the song to debut at number 15 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart with 6,600 copies (majority being from the DVD single). The song peaked at number 23 on the issue dated May 19, 2001, becoming that week's greatest gainer in sales. The same week, it also reached the top of the Dance Club Songs chart. At the year-end ranking for 2001, the song placed at number 24 on Dance Club Songs. According to Madonna's official website since only a maxi single was released commercially, it hindered the chart placement on Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, the song debuted at number 14 on the Canadian Singles Chart, and reached a peak of number two after two weeks later.
