With popular lingo constantly changing, some of the words people have picked up are becoming pretty ridiculous. One that seems to have caught on is the term basic b*tch. The phrase is most definitely on the rise but what does it actually mean?
Urban Dictionary defines “basic b*tch” as “someone who is unflinchingly upholding of the status quo and stereotypes of their gender without even realizing it.”
As a user generated content dictionary, Urban Dictionary has many different definitions of “basic b*tch” but there is always something in common: a basic b*tch is a woman/girl who is unoriginal and basically the same as everyone else hence the word “basic.”
“The word basic tacked onto [b*tch] just deems that thus girl is not worth others’ time and attention because she is plain and not noteworthy,” Priscilla Lide, 19, a sophomore government and politics major, said.
College Humor released a video on its website in March parodying the term. In the video, a couple received the bad news that the female is a basic b*tch.
The doctor describes her “basic b*tchness” by saying that she likes to buy scented candles, frames that say “family” on them, and so on. Everything he names is what one would consider typical female behavior.
“A basic b*tch is a girl that acts/dresses like she really fits the stereotype that other people would classify her as,” said sophomore philosphy major Alyssa Judson. “Like stereotypical white girl equals me plus my Uggs plus my Starbuck plus my Longchamp.”
The term was first popularized by artist Lil Duval’s song “Basic B*tch” and has continued to gain popularity.
The word “b*tch” comes from the Old English word “bicce,” which meant female dog. Comparing a female to a dog was meant to suppress the idea that femininity was sacred.
At the time of the third wave of feminism, women were trying to reclaim the word to change it into a way for women to gain power. The term began to mean a strong independent woman.
“Basic b*tch is necessary because some people consider “b*tch” to be a positive thing, like being sassy and taking no sh*t,” freshman government and politics major Jillian McGrath said. “This is why HBC (Head B*tch in Charge) is a term of respect. So, when someone sucks, the term b*tch can be misused. You need to specify that he/she is indeed a basic b*tch, and not a badass sass-master.”
That said, b-word can mean very different things depending on the words tacked on to it or the context,.
“Son of a b*tch” is considered negative but when a person is having a “b*tchin’ time” it is considered positive.
A “bad b*tch” is a leader who oozes confidence and originality but a “basic b*tch” is just the opposite: boring and unoriginal.
Either way you interpret it, there is no denying the rise of basic b*tch and its prevalence in today’s society.