One late night while studying I found a lovely depiction of, well, me. It was written on a white board on the second floor in RBD, telling everyone the formula for a “basic white girl.” I wanted to laugh, and yes, I did laugh. Some of it is true. Starbucks is pretty good, I have a Pinterest account, and I wear over-sized t-shirts. However, I don’t use the phrase “can’t even” and I have never had a PSL but I know young women all around me do those things. The more I read the more I didn’t like what this guy had to say about me and my friends. I apparently feel superior, care about my daddy’s money over love, and want to get my MRS degree. The formula made me feel personally attacked, using a stereotype to fill the details of my life.
(Most women I interviewed were not upset about it until I told them this was actually in our library.)
I know being called a “basic white girl” isn’t that serious, but it kind of is. We are in the twenty first century and an “educated” white male still thinks that he can disrespect and discriminate against women. Yes, I am a feminist, but I have never felt like my skin color made me inferior or dumb until now, and I am especially confused when the ones who have been conversing about white girls are white men. I have recently even been called a “white girl” for liking Destiny’s Child. What?! Will someone please explain? I now have a very small understanding of what men and women of color go through every single day, feeling like someone is looking at me thinking of what I must be like. Are we going backwards? Judging and discriminating against anyone just proves how far we haven’t come as a society. And this needs to stop. I think everyone should stick up for themselves, or just not care what others think, but the problem is that my big t-shirt is being associated with feeling superior. The problem is people look at my car and assume I am rich. The problem is that we should not judge by appearance, especially when looks or girly slang have nothing to do with what’s actually happening in our lives. Obviously, the process of becoming equal is nowhere near finished, and I am not saying we should or should not have quotas for race and gender in the work force or anything like that, but what I am saying is that no one deserves to be bullied or judged for buying a drink that probably tastes freaking delicious. If males weren’t so worried about being compared to females then they would probably buy the PSL, too.
(Actually Mr. Wonka, I bought the Uggs myself back in seventh grade, and I definitely own a Dell.)
What I really want to tell you is what it means to be a basic white guy, but, then that would defeat the point. Ironically, they have similar qualities as a basic white female (I mean, let’s talk about their fashion choices and who is paying for school). Instead, I want to tell you what most basic white girls do. For me, I am taking fourteen hours of class, working twenty hours, and trying to make people have a better understanding of each other. My parents are helping me pay for school, thankfully, but I am trying to work hard enough to earn a living and have a successful career to make them proud. I want to get married, but I take my boyfriend out occasionally and I pay for it. Does that sound basic enough for you?
I interviewed a few ladies who would probably be considered basic white girls to let them give you their insight.
Note: I asked these ladies their responses to the white board before telling them what my article was about, so these are unbiased and original responses.
How does it feel being called a “basic white girl?”
“I don’t really mind it because I admit sometimes I can be very basic with my love for yoga pants, lattes, and Pinterest and I can make fun of myself for it.”
“Haha! I don’t really classify myself as 100% being this, because not all white girls like Starbucks, are addicted to Snapchat, take selfies, and wear yoga pants. It is somewhat discriminating.”
“It feels like we have been marginalized into one stereotype much like we do to other races. For example, we assume black dudes want to rape white women and they are criminals. This is not always the case- it’s a major overgeneralization.”
“Personally, the only time I’m called a basic b*tch is as a joke by my friends or if I’m saying it about myself. But the fact that someone took the time to create a formula defining the basic-ness of white girls is kind of sad. I shouldn’t be shamed for liking what I like! If I want to wear yoga pants and carry a Venti Starbucks coffee I should be able to do so.”
“I find it mostly funny to be called a basic white girl. I understand where the jokes originate from, and I can usually laugh along with them.”
What is something that you do that might surprise people, being a basic white girl and all?
“I watch the news every day, I’m constantly studying, and I get straight As. I have no interest in getting married anytime soon!”
“I don’t post pictures of anything on social media, except for food pictures on Instagram.”
“One thing I do is support myself -unlike the “daddy’s money” girl described by the board.”
“I have a job and am super involved on campus and still manage to keep my GPA high.”
“I spend a lot of my time studying and volunteering through YWLP. While I hold a lot of those “basic” characteristics, I still do productive things. I realize that everyone is multi-dimensional and that not ever person necessarily fits the box that is expected of them by other people.”
How do you respond to this guy’s description of a basic white girl?
“I would tell him it is clever, but the joke is getting a little old. He’s probably a basic white boy himself.”
“Maybe he needs to hang around and see different people.”
“My response to this guy is if Pinterest, SnapChat, and Starbucks are all we [women] are, then all they [guys] are is cars, porn, and beer.”
“If he can goof off in the library and come up with some ridiculous formula about girls he’s probably so basic that Daddy’s money is helping him stay in school–clearly he’s not studying that hard. Takes a basic to know a basic!”
“I personally find the MRS and daddy’s money the most annoying thing on that board. Like I’ve said, I usually laugh at myself and these jokes. However, I work very hard to do well in school and to be sure to provide for my future. I wish that I wasn’t expected just to want to go to college to marry rich. I understand that this joke doesn’t truly harm me. I just wish that my hard work in college didn’t have to be downplayed because of an expectation of “gold digging” or need to be married.”
Auburn men and women, we cannot take every woman, stick them in a box, and put a label on it. We have to be the school that makes progress. Now it’s your turn ladies–tell us what makes you not so basic in the comments section below!
Rep Image courtesy of Lindy Oliveimage two