Hot Girl Summer 2.0

Hot girl summer. Many of us have heard of it, seen it on Instagram captions accompanying bikini pictures, and have probably used it ourselves. But what does hot girl summer mean in 2020, and how has it changed since 2019?

“Hot girl summer” comes from fans of Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion. In 2019, Megan Thee Stallion dropped her album Fever detailed with cover art stating “She’s thee hot girl and she’s bringing thee heat.” This, along with Megan the Stallion’s well-known nickname “Hot Girl Meg,” inspired fans to coin the term “hot girl summer” (Vox). Megan the Stallion commemorated this with its very own anthem, dropping the single “Hot Girl Summer” in 2019 with rappers Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign.

But what does hot girl summer actually mean? According to a tweet from Megan Thee Stallion, hot girl summer, “Is about being unapologetically YOU, having fun, being confident, living YOUR truth, being the life of the party etc” (Time). Rather than comparing yourself to conventional beauty standards, hot girl summer emphasizes bold confidence — confidence in who you are and how you present yourself. Hot girl summer embodies principles of self-love, doing whatever you want to, and not caring about what others think about you. The social media-driven movement behind this phrase comes during our generation’s larger movement towards body confidence, which demands inclusivity in beauty standards and the destruction of misogynistic norms.

But while in the past, hot girl summer has lent itself to our social media feeds in the form of thirst traps and bomb selfies, hot girl summer is not a defined idea and can be flexible in its use. Therefore, when a time comes in which it is more pressing to be confident in your advocacy and activism for marginalized groups, hot girl summer takes on a whole new meaning. Enter, 2020’s Hot Girl Summer.

The year 2020 has been a stream of chaotic events from threats of a third world war to a global pandemic no one could have seen from a million miles away. So, of course, the summer of 2020 looks very different from the summer of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic has led to the devastating loss of lives globally, a new reality of social distancing, and increasing uncertainty about what our world should and will look like once the fog clears.

In the United States, the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers led to a national revival of the Black Lives Matter Movement, which sparked international protests as well. The movement brought attention to the countless devastating instances of police brutality in Black communities and the systemic racism that is still so present in our institutions. People have turned to the streets to protest and demand accountability of police officers, the defunding of police departments around the country, and an end to widespread police violence against Black communities. Globally, people turned to social media to advocate for the cause, inform others, and donated to the fight against structural racism.

When events like these protests transpire, we need to use our voices, especially on social media, to address these circumstances. This year’s hot girl summer is still about confidence, but it is about the confidence to stand up for what is right in the world. When we recognize injustices in the world, like the continued police brutality towards Black communities, we must harness the same energy and confidence we did in 2019 to actively post on our platforms and to support communities that need it. It’s about not shying away from our activism because it may raise difficult conversations or strain relationships. Hot girl summer 2020 truly tests our ability to not only be assured in how we look, but also in who we are and what we stand for in unsure times.

Many celebrities have been using their social media platforms to voice their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Billie Eilish, who currently has 65.2 million followers on Instagram, has consistently demanded police accountability for victims of police brutality, including Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Rayshard Brooks. She has encouraged her following to protest (safely), donate, and take action, and has done it with zero f*cks given. Billie Eilish is unequivocally a hot girl.

Other ordinary people have risen to the role of “social media activist” by using TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter to raise awareness about police brutality and systemic racism. They have shared ways to be safe while protesting, explained the danger of racial microaggressions and biases in our society, and some have shared authentic experiences of what it means to be Black in the United States. These people have taken up real estate on their usual fun and frivolous social media feed to frequently inform their followers of real world issues that they are invested in and that need to be addressed, and that takes “hot girl summer” courage.

However, we must also recognize that some do not have the privilege to participate in this hot girl summer. Marginalized communities who are affected by systemic racism, ignorance, and hate may not have the time, resources, or mental energy to voice their experiences or educate others. This reality only makes it that much more important to support these communities. This comes in many forms, such as donating or buying from Black-owned businesses, educating yourself through literature, podcasts, or documentaries, or simply speaking up for BIPOC in exclusive spaces.

This year’s hot girl summer may be more exposing than sharing a picture of your body. Yet if we have the confidence to be ourselves, then we must use our empathy, open-mindedness, and strength to advocate for what we believe in.

By Sana Pashankar

Duke student, avid nickname maker, caffeine enthusiast, and future city girl.

Photography and Design by Kyala Irons