The girl math concept. You’ve probably seen this all over social media. Just to give you an idea, the hashtag #girlmath has 65.9k posts on Instagram and 104.4k posts on TikTok.

If you’re not familiar with the concept, let me explain it to you.

What is Girl Math?

According to an article by CNN, girl math is “essentially the recognition that time, convenience, and money are interchangeable currencies.”

For example, you might see videos where a girl explains to her boyfriend how she views things differently. When her boyfriend makes a confused or shocked face, the woman will generally say, “What? It’s girl math!”

Some examples revolve around shopping: “girls are going to add more items to their cart to get free shipping.” In this type of video, you’ll see a girl citing instances and talking about, “Why would you not want to get free shipping? You just have to add some items to the cart and then it’s free. It’s girl math!”

Another example could be a video of a girl spending cash and saying, “if you spend cash, it’s free money. What? It’s girls math!”

Another video might discuss how girls calculate everything in their lives to match their plans: from timing their hair washing to deciding which outfit to wear. Everything is a calculation, and everything is called “girl math.”

I think you understand the concept by now.

Why Girl Math is Wrong?

We all understand jokes on social media, we all understand trends, and we all know how to take some sarcasm or dark humor. I get that. However, some innocent jokes can turn into generalizations made by people, and some others can take a joke very seriously, so this is what we need to be mindful about.

I was in the office, and I heard one of my colleagues, Leila, explaining to another guy how she calculated some things for a project. When the guy didn’t understand what she said, as a joke, she replied: ‘’It’s girl math.’’ Well, see, this is very dangerous. We are in a professional setting, and because a girl couldn’t explain to that guy, she turned everything into a joke and mocked herself by using the expression ‘’It’s girl math.’’

Girl math has a negative connotation. Girl math is simply saying that girls are not good with numbers, calculations, and that basically, they have their own logic. A girl’s logic, an inferior one.

There is nothing called boys math, right? So this means that there is normal logic for normal people: men. And the stupid, ridiculous logic that only inferior beings are able to see and understand: women. This is how I interpret it.

Girl math: a step backward.

There are many expressions used today by men and sometimes by women themselves that have a negative connotation. ‘’Don’t be such a girl’’ is one of them. Or, ‘’you are playing like a girl’’. Or, ‘’stop crying like a girl’’. All those expressions are used to insult someone because they were displaying girly behavior, which is considered inferior and negative.

We all agree that while aiming for no harm, a person using this kind of expression is categorized as being misogynistic and sexist. So why, in 2024, are we finding more than 100,000 posts on social media about ‘’girl math’’? Why is girl math considered so normal, so fun, and so relatable? Why is no one bothered, and why does no one see the similarity between ‘’girl math’’ and ‘’don’t cry like a girl’’. It’s the same.

The need to feminize an inferior behavior has been the case for such a long time, and while feminists are trying to fight day and night, correcting behavior and language, we go back so many steps for a joke on social media.

How Do Boys Feel About Girls Math?

What if a guy is planning all his outfits beforehand? What if a guy decides to wear the same outfit twice because he is going out with different people? What if a guy is not really good with money management? Are we going to tell him ‘’Oh, it’s girl math!’’
How would he feel if someone told him that? Let me help you with the answer:

• Inferior
• Insulted
• Angry

Then, why are we saying it to ourselves, and why do we allow people to categorize our behavior as ‘’girl math’’? Why do women not feel insulted by it?

Mindful Language and Its Societal Impact: The girl math case

To be mindful of language means to question the implications of the words we use. Before embracing or perpetuating a term like “girl math,” consider its broader context and the potential harm it might cause. Language shapes attitudes, and attitudes, in turn, shape societal norms. By choosing our words with care, we contribute to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment.

When addressing gender-related topics, it’s crucial to promote language that uplifts rather than reinforces stereotypes. Instead of accepting and normalizing expressions that belittle the capabilities of one gender, we should actively seek alternatives that encourage equality and celebrate diversity.

In the case of “girl math,” our language choices can either challenge or perpetuate existing biases. Let’s choose words that reflect a commitment to dismantling stereotypes, fostering a society where everyone, regardless of gender, is free from limiting assumptions, and promoting a more inclusive and equitable future.