I’m not sure whether it’s a generational thing or if the word “basic” has always had this sort of insulting tone, but if you’re a nineteen-year-old college student like me you know it’s never a good thing when someone uses that word to describe you.
For those of you who don’t know what the word “basic” means, other than the typical Webster Dictionary definition (which is forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental), I’m going to tell you. Also, I don’t know about you but being a fundamental starting point doesn’t sound so terrible to me. Anyway, nowadays if someone uses the word basic it’s typically referred to a “basic white girl”, aka really mainstream and popular.
I will always admit it, I am a basic white girl.
Without getting too political or off topic, I am very aware of my white privilege and all that comes with my skin color, however, that’s for another article.
For now, I just want to discuss the word "basic." When did liking something popular become such a bad thing?
Humans thrive off liking similar things. Have personality traits in common? Become best friends, maybe go on a date, maybe even get married and have children. Have movie tastes in common? Go see a movie together and you’ll have a grand ol’ time. Have similar music taste? That’s another friendship starter!
Like I said, I will be the first to admit, I like leggings, I like the occasional Dunkin' Donuts coffee and white converse. I like a pretty and organized Instagram, Rupi Kaur, John Green, and a green army jacket. I like taking a few more mirror selfies than the average person. I like Nalgene water bottles, a Lilly Pultzer planner, and sometimes I can be a bit of a walking stereotype.
Who the hell cares?
If you’re a decent human being, you aren’t oppressive, or racist, or homophobic, or anything in between why are we so bent out of shape about a bunch of girls liking the same thing? Items are basic because they are well loved, they are popular for a reason.
I don’t know about you but I’m really sick and tired of people thinking of being basic as a terrible quality to have. Call me a basic bitch, but I like the things I like and I’m not going to change so I can be a little less mainstream.
Everyone’s got a little basic in them and I wish we’d go back to being friends over having similarities rather than putting each other down. Insulting people based on assumptions is not acceptable in any form, even when it comes to joking about “the basic white girl.”
So yeah, I am basic, but I’m also really proud of who I am. Not necessarily because I’m basic but because I know what I want. I'm a lot of things and I want a lot of things. I’m a writer, a sister, a succeeding college student, a lifeguard, a daughter, a girlfriend, a passionate poet, a swimmer, a gay woman, and a lover of corgis. Maybe, I am a little basic sometimes, or rather mainstream, but I love it just as much as every other part of me.
You should too.
