I've been working at Starbucks for a little over a year and our fall season has officially started. With that comes the bombardment of stereotypical wants and desires of mainly teenage girls. One of which includes the pumpkin spice latte.
It seems to be a common misconception that only teenage girls like PSL's, what the internet calls "basic white girls" (why they have to be white is beyond me). I've taken orders for men and women of all ages who have gotten pumpkin spice lattes. From 50 year old lawyers, to 18 year old fashion students. So many people enjoy this drink, yet only teenage girls get flack for enjoying it and pumpkin flavored things in general.
So what if girls like pumpkin flavored things? I don't understand how that's any different from the craze amongst men for bacon flavored things. They make bacon flavored toothpaste and bacon air fresheners, but no one seems to mention that when they complain about pumpkin scented everything. It seems to me that the internet likes to tear down and make fun of everything girls like. From leggings to flower crowns to Ugg boots, everything we like gets turned into a "basic white girl" stereotype.
People feel the need to justify their purchase of a PSL to me while at work because of this ridiculous stigma against it. Like somehow ordering it makes you less of a coffee lover or something. It's ridiculous that people feel the need to tear down everything someone enjoys.
Fall isn't just a pumpkin filled season, it's the beginning of the holidays. With Halloween leading into Thanksgiving and Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa. This season should be about spending time with our family and friends and giving back to those who need it. Not worrying about girls who like to wear leggings and big sweaters.
If people focused the same amount of energy they do in tearing down "basic white girls" for the things they like and put it into something productive then maybe people wouldn't be ashamed for getting something as frivolous as a pumpkin coffee.
Such an innocent little drink changed so many people's point of view in such a short amount of time, it shows us where our priorities really lie. We focus so much time and energy into hating what people like, people we don't even know.
We should be caring about the person behind the drink, the person inside the Uggs, the person wearing the flower crown. Not how you perceive them because of their interests. This world is so full of hate and negativity, we need to focus our energy into building each other up and embracing what we love. Not tear each other down because of something as innocent as a flavor or piece of clothing.
From the point of view of a barista, I feel as though the societal views of what you order at Starbucks shouldn't be a deciding factor in how someone views you. I think it's time to get rid of the "basic white girl" stereotype and every other stereotype because they're useless and only separate us from each other in a time when we can't afford to be separated.
