Ooh, we’re glad you asked! I’ve definitely found myself wondering what an “unstereotypical white girl” is. To me, it’s someone with their shit together in all aspects of life: work, relationships, and mental health. This person has a healthy relationship to the patriarchy and knows how to carry herself when she’s out in the world. She celebrates her femininity without being overly feminine — no dad bod for this one!
The stereotype of a Basic White Girl is usually considered a woman who’s beautiful but not intimidating-looking, has expensive tastes (but is always wearing clothes from brands like Forever 21), and wears pumps every day. But it’s more complex than that. As a person of color, I don’t want to be lumped into one category as a Basic White Girl. I am who I am and will always celebrate my culture and heritage, but I don’t want to fit into the stereotype of what a BwG should look like or act like.
It’s easy to see how every race and ethnicity can be stereotyped. When I think of a BwG, I always think of white women, who are seen as the standard. When we talk about being “basic” it’s a term reserved for white women. But race and class doesn’t mean the same thing when it comes to skin tone and how you look in the world. White women aren’t the only ones whose looks are limited by society — so is their body type, income, and experience with racism. Body shapes differ depending on ethnicity — dark-skinned girls don’t have “the hourglass” body shape in mind when they imagine themselves as a basic girl.
We’re not saying that white women aren’t basic (I mean, obviously, they are) — but let’s be real. The stereotypes of what a BwG looks like are based on whiteness. But now that we’ve established that little PSA… let’s talk about what makes a BwG great!
What is one of the reasons that you decided to join this group?
Being a BwG has its perks: You never have to worry about where you’re going on your next vacation or birthday celebration; there is always an open bar for you at the wedding of your friends; and everyone knows your name at brunch.
