Is the 'Girl Hobby' trend another way to shame women online?

"Girl math," and "girl dinner," were two of the biggest trends in 2023, but the recent emergence of the "girl hobby," has led women to discuss if this label has been taken too far.

For "girl dinner" we had women sharing a varied selection of snacks or making charcuterie boards, or random foods, essentially a dish that is quick and convenient, while "girl math" explained how women rationalise spending habits so in our head purchases are perceived as 'free' or 'money-saving'.

Most recently, women have been referring to their spending habits, and different parts of their daily routine as "girl hobbies".

In a viral TikTok, Lo (@itslobirch) shared her list of the all different things she would class as a "girl hobby" which included grabbing a coffee and pastry as a "lil treat," doing skincare, hair and makeup, reorganising instead of sleeping, going on "hot girl walks," social media "investigative work," and shopping.

The video has received more than 3 million views but has sparked a debate on what should be considered hobbies and whether we're infantilising women with these kind of girl-based trends.

One particular video which voiced this opinion was from TikToker Taylor Jade (@raylot) who has a "question for the culture," said: "Somebody has got to ask what is going on? What are we saying? Those are not hobbies."

"What is up with this infantilisation brainrot trend that has grown women saying 'No I don't need a hobbies or a personality because I'm a teenage girl and I have get coffee and lil treat and go shopping...' WHAT?"

She then went to say how everybody who says it's "kind of harmful to identify ourselves with extremely sexist stereotypes," gets called a "pick me."

"Well guess what I love Charlotte Tilbury contour and my hot pink Stanley just as much as you guys do," as Taylor showed those products on camera.

She continued: "However, I have my own thoughts and opinions and feelings and ambitions and goals and dreams and interests and hobbies and personality outside of consumerist bull****."

Taylor ended the video by snapping her fingers at the camera as she told those behind the trend to "get it together, you're not a teenage girl, you're a grown woman".

Since sharing her thoughts, Taylor's video has received 2.2 million videos and has sparked a debate on the topic as to whether this label is bad for women.

Many agreed with the TikToker that the "girl" trends have "spiralled" out of control.

One person said: "Girl hobby and then it’s just capitalism."

"I feel like it started with the girl dinner trend which was fun but now it’s just sort of spiralled," another person wrote.

A third person added: "Couldn’t have said it better, bimbo feminism does the opposite of what we want as a society."

"This is the first real human take I’ve seen on this app in months," a fourth person commented.

Someone else replied: "Is this because third spaces that don’t revolve around consumerism have mostly disappeared?"

"I wanna know what she considers 'boy hobbies," another commenter responded.

However, there were some who disagreed with Taylor's take and still believe the trend isn't harmful.

"I also hate the idea that a teenage girl is a shell of a human. My teenage years were when those thoughts & opinions & hobbies & dreams & ambitions were born," one person wrote.

Another person said: "Idk some of us do find joy in these things. Like I collect perfumes and fine spirits. It takes hours of researching and understanding how these products are made that makes it special to me."

"Doing makeup/hair is a real hobby though like creating intricate looks," a third person commented.

A fourth person replied: "Mmm, I partially disagree. I agree with the consumerism bit. Shopping as a hobby is indicative of a capitalist hellscape.

"But I think there is merit to the idea that 'girlie' activities aren't always given the same legitimacy as more masculine hobbies like working out. Organizing, makeup, and thrifting are all legit hobbies that mostly women enjoy."

"I feel like the first wave of it was a response to the exhaustion of adulthood and the desire to return to simplicity but it’s gotten out of hand," someone else commented.

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