The Pressure of Hot Girl Summer
Image Source, Allison Heine (Unsplash)
The term “hot girl summer” has taken the world by storm in the three years since its conception. First coined by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion in 2019 to mean “being unapologetically you, having fun, being confident, living your truth”, the term has since developed not only into a song featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign, but a mantra for girls across the world.
Like anything released onto the internet, the term has taken on a life of its own. For many, the concept of a “hot girl summer” has become synonymous with sexual liberation, with one Urban Dictionary user defining it as “the summer where girls take over and express their inner hoe … The hot girl gang sign is made by twerking.” July’s counterpart to November’s “cuffing season”, when the cold weather brings with it a desire for a relationship, people go as far as initiating breakups in the name of having a hot girl summer. It’s an understandable instinct. More than ever, people are being encouraged to embrace sexuality, the single life, and freedom from commitment or concerns. Hotness is no longer based on physical appearance but is instead a mindset, determined by confidence and liberation in the era of hookup culture.
So, as one more hot girl summer draws to a close, I’m beginning to consider what it actually means to have one. The image of a hot girl summer is epitomised by the song and its music video: Megan and Nicki dance around a pool in bright bikinis and tiny dresses at the “hottest party of the summer” while rapping about casual sex. Like many, last summer I lived that recognisable version of the hot girl summer to a tee. I had a nice tan, I went to parties and clubs, and I pulled more frequently (while living in a COVID-safe country, of course). By every definition, it was an indisputable, undeniable hot girl summer.
This summer was a completely different experience. I spent most of my time watching the Olympics with my flatmate, mindlessly finishing a paint-by-numbers and learning how to use my aunt’s new crêpe machine (surprisingly difficult). I’ve been to one small festival and have been to the beach once. A few times, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough, and forced myself to “have more fun”, whether it was going on a date I didn’t really want to go on, or going clubbing on a night I really didn’t feel like going clubbing. Each time, I’ve regretted it, and quite comfortably reverted back into my peaceful existence of avoiding loud music and sweaty dancing.
I found that this concept of the quintessential hot girl summer had, like much of modern existence, become more about the performance of confidence and fun than confidence and fun itself. I’ve enjoyed myself more learning how to make katsu curry than I would have if I’d gone to more boozy events or kissed more strangers. Of course I also had fun last year, and yes, I do regret not getting out to the beach a little more. But ultimately, this summer I just wasn’t in the mood to do the things I was “meant to do”. And I had a great time not doing them.
According to its true meaning, as defined by the hot girl Miss Thee Stallion herself, sometimes, a hot girl summer is staying home, lighting a candle, and taking a nap. I’ve had a pretty good time embracing that.
by Zara Denham (Staff Love & Relationships Writer)
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