What Does it Mean if a Woman is Called a "Basic"?

[Anonymous]

I feel like asking this question will age me, but I was in line this morning at my usual coffee shop and the 20-something woman in front of me on her phone said the phrase "she's nice, but she's such a basic." She was 5 feet in front of me so I couldn't help overhearing, but I've never heard this odd term before to describe another woman. I'm 46 for reference. Is this a new generation Z characterization?

[Anonymous]

I've heard 'she's so basic'. And 10 years ago.

Anyone I know who would say it now would say it as partly a joke. But would also mean that someone is boring and ordinary and unoriginal.

[Anonymous]

She probably said “a basic b” and you didn’t hear the last part. I think the word “basic” has been around in this context for a few years, at least 5 if not 8 or more. Like the PP said, it means boring or unoriginal.

[Anonymous]

It means you like the same mainstream things as everyone else, especially in terms of how you dress and your home decor.

[Anonymous]

Basic has been around forever. Basically a word used to put down women who have mainstream interests (Uggs, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and blonde hair back when I was young). Stupid AF, since men are never characterized this way for liking sports or IPAs.

[Anonymous]

It's a word that has big misogynist vibes, to me. What's wrong with liking what you like?

[Anonymous]

Basic= unoriginal, no thoughts of your own; a follower

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a word that has big misogynist vibes, to me. What's wrong with liking what you like?

Misogynist like saying someone is a 'karen'

[Anonymous]

It's definitely an insult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basic has been around forever. Basically a word used to put down women who have mainstream interests (Uggs, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and blonde hair back when I was young). Stupid AF, since men are never characterized this way for liking sports or IPAs.

It’s a way for women that are jealous of other women to put them down.

[Anonymous]

Who the hell cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basic has been around forever. Basically a word used to put down women who have mainstream interests (Uggs, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and blonde hair back when I was young). Stupid AF, since men are never characterized this way for liking sports or IPAs.

It’s a way for women that are jealous of other women to put them down.

Not being jealous, but certainly not being complimentary.

[Anonymous]

It means boring, essentially.

[Anonymous]

Another way for women to make other women feel less then. Now it’s not enough to just try to blend in with the crowd—that will get you eviscerated as basic. Ironically, the people that use the terms are often the biggest trend followers — they just think that all their carefully curated choices are unique. Like all the God awful over the top exhausting weddings people have now — at least they aren’t basic!

[Anonymous]

SNL "big dumb X" sketches