Categorising incapability through the term ‘girl’ infantilises and undermines a woman's capacity to complete tasks dependently. Not only does the word 'girl' have childlike associations, but it is also synonymous with not being complete without a man to overlook and monitor our actions.
In 1903, Emmeline Pankhurst created the motto ‘Deeds not words’, when advocating for the women's right to vote. Due to her words being dismissed, her actions became the loudest form of protest. We are now in a time where our speech and discourse is more powerful than ever.
But are we unintentionally revoking this speech empowerment by enabling ourselves to employ speech as something to enforce gendered expressions upon.
So is social media to blame for forcefully inflicting these gender stereotypes and narratives, defining strong, capable women as being irresponsible and diminishing their own intellectual value?
The phrase that has been coined, ‘girl math’, is typically associated with illogical reasoning to justify purchases and validate consumption. Online it is seen as humorous and a silly way of conducting spending habits but then aligning this with a specific gender, we are allowing gender binaries to explain irrational habits, frivolity and impulsiveness. Through these harmless phrases women are being perceived as stupid and incapable, but do we feel like we constantly need to validate our actions as women are repeatedly scrutinised for their behaviour?
These digital trends have developed to locate women into certain categories. Could it be perceived as women building an online network and community to surround themselves whilst generating relatability and reassurance in terms of gender dynamics? Women constantly get scrutinised for their appearance, behaviour, actions and thoughts, so is it that women feel that to be accepted into a society they must reclaim stereotypical female traits to fulfil an atypical notion of control?
Social media phrases undoubtedly work themselves into our social understanding of gender relations, along with our everyday discourse. Whether these phrases are dished out with harmless intention with a communal objective or whether us as women are internalising our own incompetence due to our biological autonomy. It is a harmful way of unpicking gender dynamics and reinforcing stereotypes. In fact, social media almost rewards women for undermining their ability to succeed, be independent and make well informed choices, therefore we are regressing the exact foundations that feminism is built on.
So how do we pursue womanhood without orchestrating its downfall?
By constantly categorising and defining ‘girlhood’ as helpless, incompetent and forgetful we are subverting feminist ideologies and pursuing our identities through passivity. You can still eat what you want, buy what you want and do what you want but we don't need to label ourselves and use the term 'girl' for these activities to be justified. You are not just a girl; you are a powerful, strong, independent woman with a brain and an ambition.