‘Girl Math’- The TikTok Trend Setting Us Back Centuries

Girl math, girl dinner, girl boss, ‘just a girl’, girl rotting, girlhood. ‘Girl’-based trends dominate TikTok, each referring to a different phenomenon; for example, ‘girl math’ could be a $300 purse used every day for a year is “going to cost less than $1 a day, which is basically free”, while  ‘girl boss’ began as a way to describe an ambitious or successful woman.  However, is this celebration of feminine energy and unity a tell-tale sign of something much more sinister beginning to recirculate across social media? It feels that in many of these trends, ‘girl’ is synonymous for tired misogynistic stereotypes, with the trend rooted in the infantilisation and the demeaning of women.  

It certainly could be argued that this fad represents something very positive; rather than the competition that society often encourages between women, this trend provides a sense of unity and collectiveness that has been absent from our culture. It could be perceived as a celebration of girlhood, especially since the hashtags began to circulate around the time of ‘Barbie’ release, and the Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour taking off. When the ‘girly’ aesthetic, and all things associated, have been so demonised and mocked across social media, this acceptance and celebration could be seen as a refreshing change to the narrative.  

While this is true, there does seem to be subtle slip back into this subconscious preaching of old, recycled stereotypes around women. It is seemingly harmless humour, but in a society which requires so little convincing to depict women as infantile and unintellectual, these trends serve as evidence. The hashtag ‘girlmath’ has 232 million views on TikTok.  When social media is already so critical of women, a trend essentially rooted in a belief in women’s stupidity and ignorance simply adds to the already rife narrative. Women’s value to society is precarious and seems to constantly be up for debate and scrutiny. To excuse illogical behaviours as because you are ‘just a girl’ maybe said in humour but is taken as fact by those who need very little convincing that women are unintelligent and foolish.  

It seems that the word ‘girl’ is associated with a more and more dangerous archetype. For example, ‘girl dinner’, a hashtag with 2.2 billion views, began as women showing their mismatched foods assembled on a plate-  almost a charcuterie of a random variety. However, this trend began to slip into something more harmful, promoting a level of disordered eating, disguised as a ‘girl’-associated trait. Again, the notion that femininity is synonymous with fragility and weakness is reinforced.  

The trends began in jest and humour, but, following the pattern most other social media fads, resulted in the belittling and stereotyping of women. The word ‘girl’ is used to target and attract women and girls to videos, and hashtags, whilst, simultaneously belittling and infantilising them. An awareness and an ability to think critically when consuming media online is absolutely imperative to our own safety. We are all susceptible to these hashtags of supposed inclusivity, however, some awareness must be drawn to the ultimately harmful path these trends all seem to eventually spiral down.  

Sources: 

Forbes.com 

Usa today 

Image: https://downloadscdn6.freepik.com/23/2147667/2147666136.jpg?filename=legs-woman-shopper-with-bags.jpg&token=exp=1741676197~hmac=fdf7a6484d1bf89133f55a3f3723d639