"I'm Just A Girl:" The Downfall of Female Empowerment

The internet has been responsible for many new things: influencers, an influx of consumerism, and most of all, tongue-in-cheek remarks. TikTok, being one of the most used social media platforms by younger users, spurs these remarks on through memes, pop culture, and clipped videos. Some of these one-liners are for simple entertainment, with no deeper meaning, although some have evolved. One of these changing quotes is "I'm just a girl," which appeared online in mid 2024 through videos with Gwen Stefani's song "Just a Girl," popularising the rise in the confrontation of double standards. Originally used to expose unfair expectations placed on women, the phrase, mirroring the song’s rebellious tone, began to gain traction. The influence caused by the song created a small revolution against being sexualised, objectified, or stereotyped. Traditionally, the saying "I'm just a girl" was a way to look at women being underestimated, using irony. After several months as an online retort to misogyny, sexism, and societal beliefs, it went downhill from there.

Like so many catchphrases before it, the online world of TikTok spiralled, no longer using the saying as empowering. The phrase evolved into "I'm just a girl," with self-pitying undertones. Users began posting videos of their messy bedrooms, poor driving, food choices, or lack of responsibility with "I'm just a girl" as their excuse. The new meaning behind the saying brings forward a sense completely different from the original meaning: one with an assumption that women should be treated delicately, babied, or not taken seriously. In the corporate world, or heck, in society as a whole, women are often told to downplay their femininity to fit in with their male superiors and coworkers in an effort to appear less of a threat and to ensure a steady career. So, is the saying "I'm just a girl" a harmless, likely sarcastic joke, or is it infantilizing the women of today because, ultimately, that sells more than empowerment does? And why is the emphasis on "just?"

I grew up surrounded by "girl power." Girl power this, girl power that. It was everywhere. Maybe it was a product of the 2000s, or maybe it was just the books and movies that my mother exposed me to, but I have a clear memory of learning about Malala Yousafzai, Jane Goodall, and Greta Thunberg. It seems to me that "I'm just a girl" has replaced "girl power," and it makes me uncomfortable. When I turned fifteen, I felt as though I was no longer a girl, and so "girl power" became "women in power" as a channel of inspiration. Even if the online usage of "I'm just a girl" is a satire inside joke between the women of today, there are impressionable young girls who can view the content and misunderstand the meaning. In a society where women have to work twice as hard to receive the same amount of recognition as a man, exposing young girls to sayings that can be wrongly interpreted is risky work. Ultimately, it doesn't matter if the joke is that the catchphrase is mocking the belief that women are inferior: what matters is that it can be skewed and is much less straightforward than "girl power." Also, it's often used as a "get out of jail free card" for women who forget to file taxes, hit curbs, or don't know how to fix a tire. The catchphrase has evolved like a game of telephone; towards the end, it has been misunderstood.

So, is it a simple jest poking fun at expectations, or is it internalized misogyny? Empowerment isn't a joke. In a time of Roe v. Wade and a rise in trad wife propaganda, women as a sociological minority don't have the liberty to joke, because it gives the impression that it is not a big deal. Additionally, the saying "I'm just a girl" is, at the end of the day, online 'fluff' that has absolutely no meaning in the lives of women. Young women who want to think logically in life must apply the same logical thinking to what they see online, asking, "Is this based on fact and research?" Consuming any content that hasn't been critically challenged and discussed within professional circles is content that should not be encouraged. 

In 2026, women shouldn't need to disguise empowerment with sarcasm. We can move beyond that. Using language that reflects the capability and seriousness of our lives helps the overall subject of equality. Before excusing behaviour with a saying such as "I'm just a girl," it might be worth reflecting on what is really being reinforced, and who/what benefits from that particular narrative. Empowerment does not need to be loud or overwhelming, but it does require more intentionality.