Am I A 'Basic Bitch'?

Spoiler alert: Probably.

I hate the term 'basic'. No, actually, I don't. I hate the 2014 internet use of the term 'basic'. I hate that instead of being an insult you throw at someone you don't respect it's now used by everyone and their dog to trivialise women.
I hate it almost as much as I hate having my desire to have a meaningful conversation with a female friend reduced down to 'talking about boys' by a male acquaintance.
Both of these things trivialise me and my feelings, and both of them stop me from expressing that I'm comfortable with myself because they take aspects of who I am and use them to make me sound like a mindless moron.

So this post comes in response to this article entitled: 50 Signs You're Dating A Basic Bitch, obviously meant to serve as a warning to any man who's dating a girl that might enjoy, well, anything. After all, everyone knows that anyone who likes things is basically an idiot. Now let's take a look and see if I am a 'basic bitch', or if I'm actually a 22-year old woman with numerous jobs and a master's degree as well as the ability to maintain strong personal relationships.
My money would be on both but everyone knows women can't be more than one thing at once because we don't get to be complex like that.

1. My casual outfits would suggest that I'm not going anywhere, They are 100% fleece. I don't own any UGG boots but I do own slippers that resemble them, and I've worn them with shorts and a hoodie before for sure.
2. I do go to Starbucks. I'm not sure I have much affection for the place per se but I definitely go whenever I'm at work because it's next door. I don't think the baristas know me but I do know them.
3. Okay you've got me I actually hate Paris.
4. I don't own a cowboy hat. I do love Taylor Swift.
5. I would really like to do yoga. I have talked about it and I'll probably never go.
6. I do own underwear from Victoria's Secret.
7. I don't really know how you'd define the colour of your underwear as 'ridiculous' or not.
8. I do keep things that have sentimental value. I think that might be less 'basic' and more valuing other people and your memories with them.
9. I have no interest in Zumba.
10. I don't think I can speak Spanish. I can speak French. It's not embarrassing because I CAN speak French. Who even says they can speak languages that they can't speak?
11. I probably would be a 'woo girl'. I'm presuming that just means a girl who says 'woo' when she's drunk.
12. It's definitely okay to be upset if an actor you like dies.
13. I have seen wedding-proposal videos on YouTube. I have enjoyed them.
14. I don't fancy Channing Tatum.
15. I do use the term 'girl crush', because other women are beautiful.
16. I don't have a 'wild side' as oppose to any other 'side'. I am a complex person and I have done numerous things as a result.
17. I wish I could afford MAC make up.
18. When I was unemployed and home during the day I watched Real Housewives. I'm not any more so I don't. That's the only reason.
19. I've been told I am Jess from New Girl. I'm really just clumsy.
20. I do own and wear lip gloss.
21. I do both love to laugh and love to have fun. I don't have a dating profile.
22. I'm not particularly religious. I think you can still be spiritual anyway.
23. Okay I don't drink but there's nothing to say I wouldn't drink cocktails of all varieties if I did.
24. I didn't go to Vegas with my girls but I have been to Ibiza and we definitely used the hashtag '#whathappensinibiza'.
25. I don't have stuff with words like 'peace' or 'love' on them.
26. I don't own anything that says 'Keep Calm' on it.
27. Chances are she might actually be a fan of Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn, or maybe just like iconic photography, or both.
28. Also completely fine to like inspirational quotes. Although there is a post coming on how healthy and useful I think they are if you're genuinely struggling.
29. I just like chicken. I didn't realise that was a social gesture.
30. I haven't seen ALL Wes Anderson films, I do really want to.
31. I don't check my horoscope.
32. Yep everyone knows that not finding jokes about rape funny means you have ZERO sense of humour.
33. I'm pretty sure no one says 'the P-word' or 'the C-word' because there are about 20 different versions of those particular words you would use instead.
34. Not red roses, and they're not my favourites.
35. No one describes themselves as 'traditional' and describing women as 'classy' is just one of the thousands of ways we've been taught to hate each other. Like describing each other as 'basic'.
36. Yep, everything does happen for a reason.
37. I don't have Pintrest.
38. It's okay to be interested in both jewellery and the aesthetics of weddings.
39. I don't like rom coms. 
40. I don't like The Hills.
41. I think everyone has the 'Hey Girl' book.
42. I do love to bake.
43. I do love cakes and frozen yoghurt.
44. #fitspo makes me gag.
45. Sick of being told that enjoying something must mean I'm 'obsessed' with it.
46. I could tell you of good self-tanners.
47. I really like brunch. It's an extra meal what's not to like.
48. I'm always dressing as a sexy ___, Halloween or not.
49. Let's make women who aren't interested in politics right now feel insecure about it, that will help.
50. Did you hear about her morning sickness? And her complete lack of privacy? No one really wants to be Kate Middleton.

Overall, it's looking pretty basic.

Actually it's not, it's just looking like I enjoy some things and don't enjoy others and in that sense I am like every other person on the planet because I have opinions on things.

I don't know how we made liking things into a way to trivialise and demean women but that's quite an achievement so maybe we should be proud of ourselves.

We shouldn't, that's fucking awful.

xx