Freelance journalist Elle Hunt has voiced strong criticism against the pervasive 'girl' trend, which she describes as having become 'dismayingly ubiquitous' since the pandemic. This trend, which includes phrases such as 'hot girl walks' and 'girl dinner', reportedly gained prominence following Megan Thee Stallion’s 2019 song 'Hot Girl Summer' and subsequent TikTok trends.
Hunt argues that the trend is 'self-infantilising and insidious', despite some suggesting it is a lighthearted attempt to find levity in daily life or an effort to elevate young women. She suggests that it is 'frequently a Trojan horse for consumerism', prescribing beauty products and fashions with each new iteration.
Highlighting concerns about women's rights reportedly 'regressing worldwide' according to the UN, Hunt states that women should be 'standing firm in our political power' rather than engaging in what she sees as self-infantilisation.