In the past several years, there have been movements by young women in fashion, media and academia, each coming to have their own nicknames: the emo girl, the Tumblr girl, the scene girl and, more recently, the VSCO girl. The pattern within these trends becomes clear when you see the way they’re talked about on social media: these girls become memes and are viciously made fun of.
These patterns aren’t new, only now, due to social media and the internet, it is more widespread and socialized to make fun of girls participating in these trends. Before things like the internet became a part of my life, I remember desperately trying to be different and not “like other girls.” Even the pattern in young women to try and break from socialized stereotypes became a meme which made fun of girls for saying that they were different. Despite our attempts to watch different movies, listen to different music, play different games, and so on, women are still knocked down for trying to have passions.
Of course, it’s a part of everyone’s lives to have been made fun of for an interest. I can remember being made fun of by my own friends for liking things like Naruto. However, when it’s on a national scale, constantly on your Instagram, TikTok, Tumblr, or Facebook feed, it’s hard to escape. No matter where you look, you’re made fun of. Do you like pumpkin spice lattes? You’re a meme. Do you like to play video games? Meme. Do you own a HydroFlask? Meme. It seems that no matter what women do, we are criticized and humiliated for it.
More than the actual trends being made fun of themselves, it seems that the act of making fun of women no matter what is the real trend. It’s a power play. By not taking women seriously, by belittling their interests, society is able to shame us for simply being ourselves. We then search desperately for a new identity, buy new things, and reshape ourselves only to go through the same torment. If we’re too busy being afraid and ashamed of who we are, we’re not making any progress in loving ourselves and becoming the best we can be.
So, what’s the point? Why point this out if we can’t change it? The world will make fun of us no matter what we do, so why even talk about it?
I think one of the most important things to realize is that people and society will put you down no matter what you like, simply because you’re a girl. It’s incredibly liberating, actually, because if you’ll be made fun of no matter what you like, then you might as well do whatever makes you happy. By being loud and proud of your passions, you’re able to become stronger in your sense of self and learn to love yourself for who you are.
So, ladies, order that pumpkin spice latte. Cut your hair in a popular style. Play that video game. Watch that movie.
And buy that HydroFlask.