By: Bella Martinek, W*SS Social Work Intern
The hot new trend “girl math” has taken social media by storm justifying personal purchases women have recently made. An example of this would look like, “I paid for this in cash and because my bank account didn’t drop it was basically free.” Although this trend may be considered new, the ideologies of girl math are not. Once it gained popularity many women came forward saying they had used the logistics of girl math before so as to not feel guilty for spending money on something.
I will admit I have made justifications along the lines of girl math before, countless times. Even though it may be cheeky at the moment, in the back of my mind I always know I am not making the smartest financial decision. I believe that if women continue to find “valid” excuses to why they are spending money it could prevent them from growing wealth in the future.
Another aspect of girl math that doesn’t sit very well with me is the fact that “girl” is in the title. How come looking at simplified versions of math and finance are considered girl norms? Additionally, how come the term girl is used rather than woman? The term “boy math” was only created after girl math became very popular and it really doesn't include numbers. A boy math example could sound like, “ I saw your text and thought of a response so I basically texted you back”. It is always tied to their emotional actions, never to their conceptual understanding of math.
This is not the only experience that I have picked up on relating to society thinking women are not cut out for math. “Women in STEM '' is a widely popular term you hear around college campuses used to describe women who are pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Men in STEM on the other hand you never hear, because our society doesn’t view a man studying mathematics as courageous or trying. They see it as a man's role, and he has fulfilled his responsibility in studying this so that women don’t need to.
As much as I hate to admit it, I believe that women are most at fault for the idea of girl math. This was not an idea that men created and told women they should follow. It was a justification process that gained immense popularity because it created a morality that acted against the guilt of purchasing. As a society we must work together and halt the ideologies of girl math so that the future women of our world aren’t born into financial irresponsibility.