From “girl dinner” to “girl math,” social media is full of trends that claim to celebrate femininity, but these trends often reinforce outdated stereotypes instead of empowering women.

In online spaces, the “girl”-prefix trend has become a way to label everyday habits and interests through a gendered lens. These phrases take normal experiences and rebrand them as feminine in a playful or self-deprecating way.

While meant to create a sense of community, they risk reducing women to a handful of stereotypes, raising questions about how gender is perceived in today’s digital landscape. So, what does it mean to be “just a girl” in 2025?

“‘I’m just a girl’ can undermine the progress made toward gender equality by suggesting that women are less competent or unable to handle certain responsibilities,” said Lissett De La Cruz, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion analyst at Stanislaus State. “This trend, along with others like ‘girl dinner’ and ‘girl math,’ can contribute to underestimating women’s capabilities.”

As social media continues to influence societal narratives, these trends can impact the way young women perceive themselves in personal spaces and academic ones.

De La Cruz recalled an instance in a recent unconscious bias training she took part in where a student shared that her high school math teacher failed her on an exam because she scored perfectly, assuming she had cheated.

The underlying assumption? That a girl excelling in math was something to be suspicious about rather than celebrated.

Similarly, “girl dinner” often depicts light snacks or minimalist meals rather than a balanced plate. While the trend started as a lighthearted take on personal eating habits, with disjointed meals or food that didn’t necessarily go together, it has raised concerns about how social media portrays food consumption and the unspoken expectations it sets around femininity and body image.

“Skipping dinner to go to bed or drinking a Diet Coke or an iced coffee instead isn’t ‘girl dinner,’” said TikTok creator Dietitian Hannah. “Even if the intention was not to promote disordered eating behaviors, that’s how the videos come across.”

Diet culture has long impacted women disproportionately, and some argue that making a joke out of eating habits only further ingrains the idea that women’s food intake should be controlled or minimized. “Girl dinner” itself has also been co-opted by those who consider themselves a part of “EDTok” (short for “eating disorder TikTok”).

Beyond food, financial independence is another area where these trends blur the line between humor and harmful messaging.

“Girl math” is a trend in which women justify frivolous spending with unique logic – like stating a concert ticket was free because the money was spent “so long ago” – which may seem like harmless fun, but critics argue that it plays into the stereotype that women are financially irresponsible or lack money management skills.

“I think these trends are unrealistic and exaggerated because these days, people will post anything on social media for views,” said Alexandra Gobel, a student in the Women’s Alliance club at Fresno State. “I think these trends can make women see themselves as incapable and helpless, or it could make women hate themselves.”

Historically, women have faced barriers in accessing financial independence, with women only being allowed to have their own bank account as late as the 1970s. While the trend is often aimed at women by women, it has also been used against women online.

These trends can be found in lifestyle content targeted at women, too, with many featuring hobbies typically associated with femininity.

Many of the TikToks under these trends showcase women going on shopping sprees for clothes and makeup, getting brunch or participating in other forms of consumption.

Now, this isn’t to say there’s a problem with women showing off that they enjoy these activities. Many women love those things while also having hobbies typically labeled as ‘masculine.’

But when the dominant narrative around ‘girlhood’ centers on purchasing power rather than our intelligence or ambitions, it can reinforce the idea that women primarily exist to sit still and look pretty over anything else.

In today’s political and social climate, these narratives of women being dumb or unable to control themselves tie into a larger cultural movement, one that includes the rise of “trad wives,” a social media-driven push for traditional gender roles.

“The tradwife is eerily perfect… In short, she’s straight out of a 1950s sitcom,” said Ayesha Rascoe of NPR. “…What they seem to be selling a little bit is this idea that maybe women don’t need to work so hard. Just find you a man who will take care of you.”

As feminism continues to evolve, it becomes increasingly important to critically analyze the impact of these digital trends and their implications for gender equality. The internet, after all, is a space where narratives can be controlled and rewritten a million times.

De La Cruz believes media literacy and critical thinking are essential in navigating these conversations.

“There’s a big possibility that some faculty, staff and administrators may be unaware of current trends,” De La Cruz said. “It’s crucial for students to teach us as well. We want to promote a space where we can all learn from one another.”