Don’t Blame Us Girls For Being Basic Bitches. Just Don’t.

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There has been a long circulating stereotype that typical “white girls” act a certain way. They love Starbucks, live in their Uggs (whether it is 1 degree or 100 degrees), gush over their new Lululemon workout clothes, go crazy over “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project,” and wouldn’t be able to survive without some semi-see-through leggings. They shorten words that maybe don’t need shortening (see: cray, totes, supes, maybs, Starbs).

I’ll admit that I fit every single white girl stereotype there is. I’m drinking a grande nonfat, sugar-free vanilla latte from Starbucks as I’m writing this. I’m currently wearing Uggs, rolled down so that the fuzzy part is showing. I just spent my morning watching New Girl. My roommate and I are in a longstanding debate about whether my leggings – my precious, comfortable, stretchy leggings that love me no matter how many times I gain the ‘freshman 15’ in my sophomore year of college – are see through. I say sort of, she says 100%.

But as much as people love to make fun of these basic girls that act like lemmings, desperately catching on to every new trend that hits their town, maybe we’re on to something. Or trying to change something. Or cover up something.

People make fun of white girls like it’s a terrible thing to be. Sure, maybe some (okay, a lot) of us are clouded by a veil of privilege that allows the quick adaptation of every new thing that we think will make us cuter or prettier or just generally more desirable. What people don’t realize is that this privilege, which sometimes includes new Hunter boots, pumpkin spice lattes, and Lululemon leggings, doesn’t equate to happiness. It simply doesn’t, and though it may seem like that on the surface, it’s a materialistic lie. Sure, life could be harder and I completely respect everyone who has gone through serious financial, emotional, and physical problems in their lives – I have too. Everyone has. I don’t care who you are. You’ve gone through things. Some terrible, some mild, but problems that affected your well-being and left you struggling to recover.

I’ve battled severe binge eating disorder for four years, something that I am just now seeking treatment for. I’m so nervous to talk to people that I can’t breathe sometimes. I have battled extreme depression and stood in front of my closet with a belt in hand for hours, almost nightly, for weeks at a time since my sophomore year of high school. All while drinking Starbucks daily, wearing Uggs, and stretching into some questionable leggings. So don’t blame the white girls, Asian girls, Latin girls, black girls, purple girls, green girls, any girls. Everyone is just trying to make it. Trying to fit in. Wondering if it’s working and if people are believing their image when they don’t even believe it themselves. The truth is that life is difficult for everyone. People are trying to make to each and every day. Battling the desire to stay in bed, which is so incredibly sad considering what beautiful things there are in the world. It’s so sad because everyone feels it almost every day. People are lonely, heartbroken, stressed, overwhelmed, unhappy, depressed, dehydrated, dizzy, and self-conscious. All the time. All at the same time. Almost everyone you pass. That’s immeasurably sad and reason enough to start dishing out more love than hate.

So don’t make fun of some girls for trying their best. Everyone is doing it. It just comes out in different ways. 

featured image – Flickr / amareta kelly