CNN
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The problem with jokes within social media is that they don’t stay funny for long. If someone takes them too seriously, they become hyperbolic commentary on society as a whole, and then the media writes about it and undermines everything.
The concept of “female mathematics” is currently coasting through this process. This trend features women making jokes about the internal calculations they make to explain their stupid, but sometimes not-so-stupid behavior. It’s not so much ‘mathematics’ as it is a woman’s inner logic, often opaque but always interesting. Examples of “mathematics for girls” include:
“Mathematics for girls is essentially the recognition that time, convenience, and money are exchangeable currencies.” Imani Barbarin, a disability rights influencer Posted on Platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
This is supposed to be a joke, but like all jokes, it’s not for everyone. Girls either understand the concept of math or they don’t. If you’re in the latter position, there’s no need to be too upset. You don’t necessarily need to know its heritage. Whether it takes place during 2023’s Barbie-hued Girls’ Generation season, following the “girls’ dinner” trend, or simply the 2021 social media motto of “girls who get it, they get it” Is it something that reflects the
Unfortunately, the relevant axioms of Mathematics for Girls were disseminated to some parts of the Internet and, well, not understood. A group of people believe that a single joke about their incomprehensible desire for free shipping shows serious economic ignorance, or that the roundabout logic that women admit they use only occasionally influences every major decision in their lives. As if, they started criticizing these innocent jokes.
“‘Math for girls’ is simply a temporary disregard for our responsibilities.” one commenter wrote “And everyone has to address this as a civil rights issue.”
Naturally, “math for girls” has also joined the lexicon of brands and celebrities who have jumped on the latest trends. (“Girls Dinner,” a term that basically refers to personalized charcuterie boards or random bite-sized snacks pulled from the refrigerator, generated similar hype over the summer.)
A recent promotion from clothing brand Lane Bryant says, “You call it Girl Mass, we call it Labor Day Sale.” I did.
As a result of this tangle of serious criticism and brand intervention, the concept of “women’s mathematics” has expanded far beyond its original intentions. Finally, social media’s peanut gallery flipped the trend. After all, if there is “math for girls”, what is “math for boys”?
“I think the equivalent of girl math to boy math is the fact that all of us boys think we can land a plane,” one man said. 1 popular TikTok he claimed. (This may also be an interesting extension of the Roman Empire discourse, which began when many men admitted to thinking about the Roman Empire on a surprisingly regular basis.)
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one of the big names in the “girl math” trend.
boy’s math example I should say it was a little more comfortable.
“The math boy wants a traditional wife, but he calls you a gold digger because he has to provide.”
“Boy’s math is how 5’10 measures 6′.”
When 51-year-old comedian Dane Cook married his 24-year-old longtime girlfriend Kelsey Taylor.” Social media reactions were filled with jeers. “Boy Mathematics”.
New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used this permutation to criticize Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy in late September, before he was ousted as speaker of the House.
“Math Boy would have to try 15 times to count the votes correctly to become Speaker and shut down the government in nine months.” she wrote to xmuch to the consternation of some male commenters, who called it sexist.
“Girls were just being stupid and making fun of themselves with math jokes aimed at girls. But you guys just wanted to be rude for no reason. Look, boys’ math drag is over. there is not.” one commenter wrote about X.
Suddenly, a light-hearted joke became something more. It’s a commentary on gender and stereotypes, and an obscure reference point for observing even serious political conversations.
The deep meaning of mathematics for boys and girls
When a trend breaks down and comes back into the discussion, it’s time to bring in the experts. Mary-Louise Adams, a sociology expert and associate professor of kinesiology and health studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., explains what “girl math” and “boy math” mean. , gamely offered her perspective if we want to make any sense.
“What I’m reading through this trend is that people still feel like they live in a deeply gendered world,” she told CNN via email. “They assume that women and men approach the world from very different standpoints, and their experiences bear that out.”
Part of the discomfort with the whole “girl math” joke stems from the use of the term “girl,” which some feel is derogatory when used to describe adult women. However, this term clearly reflects the false stereotype that women are less mathematically capable. than men.
“Some women try to make jokes by relying on the fact that the differences between men and women are still considered fundamental to how people live,” says Adams. “Feminists in the 1970s definitely thought we would get over this!”
But she said jokes about “girl math” could humorously recycle these stereotypes. She says this kind of humor is a form of natural bonding and can create a common identity. Through this lens, jokes about spending money to save money or how to manage your time while trying to fulfill various social roles may repeat expectations coded into “girls.” Instead, it functions as something to subvert.
“Of course, the desire for identity is not just about ‘math,’ but perhaps a larger cultural disdain for women’s consumption habits and the belief that women can’t be as good at math or other technical things as men.” “Maybe it’s about resisting deeply held beliefs,” Adams said.
“Women may be looking down their noses at people who try to diminish their worth.”
At that point, it’s not “girl math” but girl calculus, or girl game theory. It’s meaningful for those who need it. For others, it’s an equation they don’t have to work hard to solve.