At the beginning of June, I decided that the summer of 2023 would be my time. I wanted to start fresh and start over this summer. I’ve always been girly and delicate, but I wanted to develop more of a hard shell. I wanted to seem edgy and “cool.” I got the urge to lose weight, get piercings, and go brunette.
Then, I got my hair done and walked out of the salon, telling my friend that it was my “bad bitch” summer, and I was ready to take on the world. I was prepared to be a bad a** bitch!
As the season continued, I started noticing more details about Taylor Swift’s concerts, Kelsea Ballerini’s EP release, and the Barbie movie.
Almost every video on my TikTok “for you” page was either about the Eras tour, Kelsea’s album, or the Barbie movie. And the more I watched these videos, the more invested I got into them.
And then I realized something.
This was never meant to be a “bad bitch summer.”
This summer came with the release of the Barbie movie, Taylor Swift and her friendship bracelets, and Kelsea’s “healed” versions of her old songs. It was always meant to be a “girl’s girl” summer. The summer when we heal ourselves and step away from all the negativity and trauma we’ve experienced. The summer when we focus on becoming the best, healed versions of ourselves. And the summer we stand in solidarity with the other women in our lives.
And this summer, we have seen nothing but girls empowering other girls. In the Barbie movie, we learn that Barbies aren’t just dolls; they’re dolls that show us that women can do anything they want to do. With the Eras tour, we get decked out in sparkly outfits, exchange homemade friendship bracelets, and sing “Cruel Summer” at the top of our lungs. And with Kelsea’s EP, we learn that it’s OK to leave something behind if it helps you heal.
So screw your “hot girl summer” ideas and support other women instead — this is what summer is supposed to be about.
As women, we constantly judge each other. People pin us against each other on social media and in our daily lives. Society makes us feel like we need another person to complete us – but we don’t.
We need to stop with the competition already and just stand by each other. We go through enough already. Life gives us so many challenges; the more people put us against each other, the harder we’ll find it to just live.
Stop with the bitchiness and going against each other, and be kind.
Compliment the person next to you. Offer to take a picture for someone who needs the right angle. Scream songs with the strangers beside you and become besties with them for the night.
As Taylor would say:
“So make the friendship bracelets.
Take the moment and taste it.
You’ve got no reason to be afraid.”
Just because you’re a girl’s girl, it doesn’t mean you can’t be a boss-ass bitch. And at the end of the day, if I had to choose, I’d still choose to be a girl’s girl.
Forget hot girl summer: it’s a girl’s girl summer. And it’s our time to shine.
Featured image via Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
Hey there,
I just finished reading your article on Read Unwritten about ditching the whole “Hot Girl Summer” vibe, and I have to say, it struck a chord with me. It’s refreshing to see someone challenge the notion that summer has to be all about looking a certain way or conforming to societal expectations. Your take on embracing authenticity and focusing on inner growth instead of external appearances is so empowering.
I love how you emphasized the importance of self-love and self-acceptance, regardless of what season it is. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the pressures of trying to achieve some idealized version of ourselves, especially with the constant barrage of images and messages on social media. Your reminder to prioritize our mental and emotional well-being over superficial standards is something we all need to hear more often. Thanks for sharing your insights and encouraging us to redefine what it means to have a fulfilling summer. Looking forward to reading more from you!Pictionary Word Generator