Hot Girl Summer

Summer has always been a tricky time for me and my relationship with my body. Growing up, I rarely wore shorts or any clothes that exposed too much of my skin. I preferred to sweat in my jeans and long-sleeve shirts rather than expose any bits of flesh I deemed too squishy, too lumpy, or too undesirable. I still struggle to feel confident and comfortable in bathing suits and each time I go to the beach, I look around at all the seemingly carefree people frolicking in the sand and still wonder what I’m doing wrong. I welcome the change of seasons when the weather starts to turn cool at the end of the summer and I get to return to the comfort of my oversize sweaters.

But apparently this is no ordinary summer – it’s “Hot Girl Summer,” dubbed so by rapper Megan Thee Stallion. As she tweeted in July, “Being a Hot Girl is about being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident, living YOUR truth, being the life of the party etc.” Megan Thee Stallion’s bright and bold declaration resonated deeply with fans, or her “hotties,” who have eagerly latched onto this opportunity to celebrate their authentic “hot” selves. As hot girl summer became one of the hottest trends and memes of the season, I wondered how I fit into all of it. I’ve certainly never thought of myself as a “hot girl,” except maybe ironically. But in her definition, Megan Thee Stallion opens up the rigid structure of hotness. Hyping up your friends, embracing body positivity, and allowing yourself to toss your cares aside is the perfect summer vibe.

Since the dawn of hot girl summer, I’ve been thinking back on all the previous summers I spent avoiding outings that would require shorts or a bathing suit and all the times I stared at myself in the mirror noting every feature that I wish I could change. Liking the concept of hot girl summer or jamming to Megan’s songs will not magically solve my body insecurities. But, there is something powerful about the ease of declaring a “hot girl summer” and whether or not I feel like one, I am still a hot girl. 

I spent the past week on a beach vacation with my family, and when I got dressed to go swimming, I tried to remember Megan Thee Stallion’s words and forget about everyone else. I waded into the ocean in my bathing suit, and for once, I didn’t look at the people around me or think about what they saw. I didn’t stress about my bathing suit being too tight here or too baggy there, about my legs being pale or my hair looking greasy. The sun felt good on my skin, the salt water made my hair feel sticky, and the only thing on my mind was how much I loved the smell of warm ocean air.

In several interviews, Megan Thee Stallion suggested that maybe “Hot Nerd Fall” is what comes next – fitting for the rapper who is also a college student studying health administration at Texas Southern University. So even though the summer must end, maybe “Hot Girl Summer” doesn’t have to fade away. 

My journey toward body positivity and self-celebration is never-ending, but it’s nice to have an extra excuse to feel good about myself, to declare loudly and proudly that the time to embrace myself is right now. 

By Katie Duggan

Princeton student, feminist film enthusiast, and lover of all things spooky.