2023 – widely known as “the year of the girl” – brought a new appreciation for girlhood. The unmatched popularity of the Eras Tour, the smashing success of the Barbie movie at the box office, even the rise of isms like “girl dinner, girl math, and hot girl walks” all tell us that cultural representations of being female are rapidly shifting. The representation of femininity is no longer exclusive to the experience of a mature woman; there is a deep appreciation for things previously associated with childhood enjoyment. Even the re-appearance of “girly” fashion trends like butterfly clips and bows remind us that reclaiming parts of childhood is always an option,
Girlhood has a variety of meanings, but what this blog has focused most on is girlhood as a cultural phenomenon. The way it is reflected in cinema, music, fashion, and social media trends all speak to a cultural context in which women are given the agency and space to explore their own identities. The issue, though, is that this can very quickly become a one-dimensional definition. At best, this reduces the myriad of female experiences, and at worst, it can perpetuate an illusion of inclusivity that is really only focused on upper class white women. A shift perspective towards girlhood is necessary: it must embrace intersectionality and celebrate diverse discussions of female experiences.
Feminism has made significant strides, especially in a legal capacity. Even the way females are both portrayed and empowered in various forms of media deserves immense credit. The work, however, cannot stop there. The heart of the issue lies in the failure to acknowledge how much work is left to be done; there are so many overlapping identities such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, socioeconomic status and ability that require their own representations. The solution is not to make girlhood any less fun or special, but rather to make it more inclusive. Centering intersectionality – and being cautious of our own biases – must become synonymous with how we portray and define girlhood.
It is true that much of what women enjoy is often not taken seriously. The example of the Barbie movie’s acclaim at the Oscars is what many people consider an example of this. Both Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie did not get nominated for the awards of Best Director and Best Actress In A Leading Role, respectively; this quickly became a conversation of women’s experiences not being taken seriously in high-art contexts. This conversation was valid, but ignored conversations about non-white women at the 2024 Oscars: Lily Gladstone was only the fourth Indigenous person ever to be nominated for Best Actress, and both the Director and female lead of Past Lives missed out on nominations as well. The discourse – both in its celebrations and its critiques – should have gone beyond Barbie, Gerwig, and Robbie. True female equality, and a genuine appreciation of girlhood, cannot happen until all identities within this context are equal, too.
Glimmers & Girlhood 
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