You Are Not “Just A Girl”

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

I was at Target when I briefly encountered a girl with a guy (who I assume is her boyfriend). She was attempting to lift an item that she was perfectly capable of grabbing off the shelf. However, she didn’t feel like reaching for it. He told her that she could grab it, and in response, she said the dreaded phrase: “I’m just a girl.”

The song “Just a Girl” by No Doubt gained popularity in the media after its use in the Captain Marvel movie and on TikTok in 2024. The song mocks the depiction of girls as weak, cute, and helpless. Despite its satirical nature, females on media platforms have used it to show off silly mistakes they’ve made. For example, a picture of a girl’s car that she crashed may have this song’s “I am just a girl” lyrics over it. 

While this trend certainly gave a few laughs, it also raised concerns. We all make stupid mistakes, sure. But associating our mistakes with our gender causes reinforcement of harmful stereotypes. 

This whole trend inspired the frequent use of the phrase “I’m just a girl” by females everywhere. It became an excuse for everything. “I can’t pay, I’m just a girl,” “I can’t work, I’m just a girl,” “Can you hold this for me, I’m just a girl.”

Paramount Pictures

Why did this phrase catch on so easily?

First, there are preset ideas depicting females as weaker than males. It is much easier to laugh and utilize this image rather than fight it. Not to mention, it is a simple way of doing things that we are too lazy to do. 

Don’t get me wrong, you have definitely caught me using that phrase once or twice. It is such an easy excuse. Using the idea of being a cute little girl empowers men and kicks in their instinct to do tasks for you.

But, ladies, we cannot be boosting men’s egos substantially. It only reminds them of the gender stereotypes that we are so passionately trying to rid ourselves of. I do not use this phrase anymore, and neither should you. There are constant movements in the feminist world to fight for gender equality. But by unnecessarily highlighting a gap, we are backtracking these movements.

If we simply pushed ourselves a little further, instead of giving up without even trying, maybe it would aid the feminist movement. More men would not automatically assume that we need saving.

It may make life harder for us at the moment, but at the end of the day, do we want to portray ourselves as helpless? If you truly can not complete the task, that is one thing, but use a different excuse.

Instead, we should associate gender phrases like “I’m just a girl” with successes. Rather than using it in our worst moments, we should use it at our best. It should be said in times of boldness, strength, and power, challenging the difference in capability between genders. 

Overall, women like that girl in Target need to stand tall and effortlessly grab the item off the shelf themselves. And then, when men ask us how we are holding such a heavy object, with a smile, we say, ” Because I’m a girl.” 

We should proudly be able to call ourselves girls!

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