Ever wonder if you are considered a "basic white girl?" Well you’re not, and here’s why.
On Wednesday, Lindsay Alexander wrote an article in her opinion column titled "Basic white girls literally can’t even handle fall season." Alexander, indeed labeling herself as a basic white girl, decided to inform female readers of some "tips" women should follow as they dress for fall.
From the title alone, it’s obvious that Alexander lays out her advice in what she believes to be a humorous way. In no way did she mean it to be malicious toward women who dress the way she describes.
However, her opinion, which seems to mirror many others’ on campus, is dangerous for all women.
The terms "basic white girl" or, as many others say, "basic bitch," function as a new way to shame women for who they are. For those who are unfamiliar, it plays into the stereotype of women who are materialistic and lack an interesting personality.
And if you’re thinking that this idea is a bit ambiguous, you’re right — every woman is prey to being labeled a basic bitch. According to Alexander, a basic white girl could be a white woman who drinks flavored coffees, wears flannel or enjoys fancy-smelling soaps.
In other words, indulging in simple pleasures or dressing in ways that happen to be similar to other women is enough to reduce that woman’s personality to basic.
Seemingly normal choices in clothes and your lifestyle has the power to erase the complexity of your being to a category that is nothing more than average and not worth mention as a member of society.
As women, we are bombarded by conflicting messages of how we are supposed to look. The media almost unanimously agree that we must be youthful, skinny and beautiful, while the more complex parts of our personality and character can get left behind.
Another thing we’ve learned is that we are supposed to be sexy bombshells, but not in a slutty way where all men can access us. After all, we need to have a little more class.
We are given fashion trends that we find out we are only allowed to wear if we have a certain body type. Sure, we’re allowed to buy that pair of yoga pants and that crop top — we have free will after all. But then the moment comes when we wear these pieces out, and suddenly, our fashion choices become major sources of judgment of our character and our intentions.
I’m going to throw out a radical idea: Women dress the way we do because that’s the way we want to dress. We may be wearing the outfit because we thought it fit our sense of style.
We might be wearing it because we think it feels comfortable (take it from me, leggings are really comfortable.) Or, they might even be wearing an outfit for no real reason at all, besides the fact that we’re told we have to wear clothes.
Moreover, human bodies are sacred — women’s bodies are sacred. Every part of our bodies is sacred. Displaying different parts of our bodies is not a sexual invitation, and it is certainly not a judge of our character.
The point is, what one woman wears has everything to do with what they want to wear and nothing to do with anyone else. It’s important to understand that women do not exist for your viewing pleasure.
Women exist as people who have intelligence, who have personalities, who have complexity. Most of all, they are not basic. Having a conversation with any of these women will reveal individuals with a rich past and rich life development who deserve to be respected.
Lizzie Lunior is a UF psychology and women’s studies senior.
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 10/27/2014]
