Let Us “Girl Walk” In Peace

Hey there, Meteor readers,

I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram the other night and I came across a Story from Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby, in which he described having the Sunday scaries but for the end of summer. So now, of course, I’m having summer scaries. Summer is almost over? That means the year’s almost over. Literally, where did 2023 even go?

In today’s newsletter we attempt to take the clown car of Republican candidates running for president seriously, consider “girl trends,” and share some reading for your weekend.

Already wearing a sweater,

Shannon Melero

WHAT’S GOING ON

Just girl things: It seems like everywhere you turn, normal everyday activities that women do are now “girl” trends with a bevy of accompanying think pieces: Girl dinner. Girl math. Strawberry girl. That girl. Soft girl. Tomato girl summer. Hot girl walks. Lazy girl jobs.

The reaction to the girlification of women’s lives has been largely negative. The trend has been called infantilizing and toxic, particularly the idea of “girl dinner,” which shows women eating snacks like popcorn and calling it dinner. Are these videos reinforcing eating disorders or is it reflective of the varied ways in which American women approach food and mealtimes? Is it both? Is it neither?

But let’s think about this for a sec. Is it being called a girl that’s supposed to be so offensive? It wasn’t offensive when Beyoncé told us that girls run the world. In what context are we okay with “girl”? Does the hot girl walk I take every day to clear my head betray my allegiance to intersectional feminism?

Here’s my two cents on it (which, in girl math, is worth about 100 USD): The act of turning adult behaviors into cutesy girl trends may just be a new way in which young women are using social media to communicate longstanding gender disparities to their peers.

What is a girl dinner if not commentary on food insecurity?

What is girl math if not highlighting how women uphold the economy despite inflation and the gender pay disparity?

What are lazy girl jobs if not a referendum on the idea that we should be working all the time?

What are Strawberry/Soft/Tomato girls if not eviscerating the unnatural standards women are expected to adhere to when they present themselves to the world?

So maybe the question shouldn’t be “does girl math make sense” and should instead be why do women have to figure out such creative ways to explain how cost, worth, and value are all completely different concepts?

Maybe the “girls” are just too smart for everyone.

LOLsob: Your evening hours are limited and your mental health is precious, so we’ll understand if you opted out of watching the first debate of the 2024 presidential race last night and mostly enjoyed the memes about Chris Christie today. But since each of the eight Republican candidates on display (Trump, awaiting arrest, wasn’t there) represents a vision of America that is one election cycle away from becoming our next reality, it’s worth considering who they are.

A majority of these candidates, including front-runner (behind Trump) Ron DeSantis, don’t believe in climate change. Mike Pence and Tim Scott want to institute national abortion bans after 15 weeks of gestation. The whole lot of them want to revive the failed war on drugs and use the military to suppress the import of fentanyl and slow immigration. And while some of that seems absolutely absurd, it also seemed absurd that the guy from The Apprentice could be president…and look what happened there.

While Nikki Haley was voted Closest to An Adult in the Room by debate analysts last night, we all know that Ron DeSantis has the most potential to snatch this nomination out of Donald Trump’s hands. If you live in a blue state, perhaps you are checked out. But the fact of the matter is, he’s coming into this election with the might of Florida behind him, the support of powerful mom groups, and his youthful appearance. (That last one shouldn’t matter, but, alas, it does.)

Sadly—and I literally hate to say this—we can’t afford to discount DeSantis or the other contenders; even if they don’t win, chances are high they’ll land somewhere in the cabinet should a Republican win the presidency. And the road to an election day isn’t as clear cut as Democrats might hope it is.

AND:​​​​​​​

• FIFA is opening disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, who kissed a player on the mouth during the World Cup without her consent. If FIFA’s disciplinary committee rules that Rubiales violated its code of conduct, he could be asked to step down from his position.

• A nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan has started the process of releasing contaminated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. The decision has been protested by environmental activists in Japan and South Korea as well as the governments of China and North Korea. If you’re a seafood eater, start reading those packaging labels.

• I just want to talk to whoever it was that was clamoring for Frasier to be rebooted. Seriously, why are we giving Kelsey Grammar more airtime?

• A new law in Illinois is the first of its kind seeking to protect the financial interests of “child influencers.”

• South Carolina’s all-male Supreme Court is upholding a ban on abortions after six weeks of gestation—effectively a total abortion ban throughout the state.

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WEEKEND READS 📚

On Afghanistan: Two years after Yalda Royan fled Afghanistan, she examines why so many refugees are still trapped in “legal limbo.” (Slate)

On shopping IRL: The experience of actually going to a store is becoming an artifact of the past. But why? (Vox)

On rush week: Unpacking the inherent whiteness of the internet phenomenon Bama Rush. (The New York Times)

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