Being “basic” is described as lacking defining characteristics that make someone interesting and worth devoting time or attention to by Urban Dictionary. Yeah… harsh. I know. This word is typically used to describe a woman, often a teenage girl, for being similar to her peers. It is yet another demeaning term used to ridicule girls simply because of their likes and dislikes. The clothes they wear, the food they eat, the car they drive, the sport they play, the list goes on and on. As many people see these factors as a representation of someone’s personality, it becomes easy to think of someone as less interesting or unique because their likes are similar to other’s. 

As a society, we have proven to find quite literally everything “wrong” with what is described as girly and mock the community that enjoys it. It seems as if we are actively searching for ridiculous reasons to hate on females for being feminine. The harsh pill to swallow, however, is realizing that it is not simply femininity that has become the joke, but women. 

“Every aspect of myself is a topic of discussion,” said Claudia Keyser, senior girl at LHS. “Being a woman in today’s society has taught me that my likes and dislikes stem from learning from those around me. If I’m basic because I like the same things as my friends, then we are all basic.”

Not only does the need to completely separate oneself from femininity because of the “less than” label associated with it prove the deeply rooted prejudice inside us all, but it helps us understand that being feminine is not the problem. The problem shows itself when we see girls embracing all aspects of themselves and still receiving backlash. How can we blame women for following trends and perpetuating “basic” stereotypes when the alternative is equally as mocked?

“Girls are willing to like the things that they like and embrace themselves even though there may be repercussions,” said Keyser. “Being viewed as basic is just another obstacle in being a high school girl.”

Having grown up in an empowering household, I am continuously baffled at the normalcy that making fun of women has turned into in modern day society. As a woman and a senior high school student, I have heard my fair share of  “funny” sexist jokes made by just about every demographic LHS holds. It has become abundantly clear that the overall theme for high school humor is, “How can we turn the things girls love into a joke and make them feel bad for it?” Now, for the people that are questioning my judgment, let me ask you this: Have you ever thought of a woman’s sport as being “less than” men’s football, basketball or baseball? Have you ever personally been subjected to scrutiny because of the clothes you wear? Has anyone ever made fun of you for walking into school with an iced caramel macchiato? These are simple yes or no questions, yet the answers are quite telling about society and how we choose to view women and the things women enjoy. 

While we have long considered “basic” to be a derogatory phrase, I believe it is time to take a twist on the term and embrace the principle. As basic things tend to be universally enjoyed, it is time to take a stand for the iced caramel macchiato and show that being “not like other girls” is truly an insult to the population of strong, amazing women in our everyday lives. So please, drink your Starbucks, love your Lulu’s and cherish being a woman.