How to Have a Healthy Hot Girl Summer
July 4 2022 | Written by Rheanna Summers (She/Her)
Well folks, we’ve made it through another winter and Hot Girl Summer is officially upon us. Between you and me, some could argue that there are 4 seasons max, but I’d disagree. You see, Hot Girl Summer is a season all to itself. It’s time to dust off the tanning oil, shake out those bathing suits and hit the beach. It’s important to note that while this term is gendered, Hot Girl Summer can be applied to anyone and everyone. Initially coined by Megan Thee Stallion, Hot Girl Summer typically translates to something along the lines of having a single, confident, and fun summer filled with satisfying hookups and good times. I’d just like to take a second now to focus on casual hookups, since it’s seemingly a large part of having a Hot Girl Summer. However, since Roe v. Wade has been overturned in the United States, threatening everyone’s equal right to an abortion, now it is more important than ever to critically consider our hookups and prioritize safety, communication and use of contraception.
Want to learn more about how to show up for abortion access? Check out the document linked here, filled with helpful information and resources.
While the message behind Hot Girl Summer can be great because it encourages self-confidence, independence, and self-discovery (whether it be sexually or emotionally), it is important to be mindful of the fact that it consistently flirts with potentially unhealthy experiences. While it is so important to embrace our bodies and our sexuality, Hot Girl Summer may not be all it's chalked up to be. Together, let’s unpack what makes a Hot Girl Summer, with the hopes of making it a healthier experience for everyone involved.
Hookup Culture
In order to better understand Hot Girl Summer, it is important to first explore this idea of casual hookups. In today’s society, casual hookups have become the new norm, where it is not uncommon to have one-night stands and spontaneous flings. In theory, hookups are a great way to explore and better understand your sexual preferences because it provides the opportunity to be with many different types of people for short periods of time with zero commitment. Hookups have also been perceived by some to be a form of sexual empowerment and liberation for women, since it appears to narrow the inequality gap and double standards between sexes. While this is true to a certain extent, this article is fascinating because it explores the notion that hookups continuously serve to benefit men while simultaneously disguised as being empowering for women. And now especially, following Roe vs. Wade being overturned, there is more and more language being used surrounding people deciding not to hook up with others, at all.
To be clear, if casual hookups are something that you enjoy and bring you a sense of empowerment, then all the power to you! No judgement here. And if you feel uncertain or anxious about hookups (because let’s be honest, they can be intimidating), then don’t pressure yourself into one! It’s okay to be selective with who you want to hook up with because at the end of the day it is what feels right for you. I mean, it’s easy to believe Hot Girl Summer means hookup galore, that if you’re single you best be ready to mingle. But Hot Girl Summer does not need to include hookups if it doesn’t feel healthy for you. Sometimes a healthy Hot Girl Summer looks like a good vibrator and an erotic novel, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Body Image
We’ve all seen the videos and the magazines that say something along the lines of “get that summer body on with these three tips and tricks” or “summer is just around the corner, sign up for a free 14-day fitness trial today” kinda stuff. And Hot Girl Summer makes no exception. While Hot Girl Summer aims to encourage people to feel confident and live their best life, there is no escaping the grey area that is the ambiguity of what someone views as their “best life”. Whenever summer rolls around, there is an undeniable pressure for people to get “summer ready”, whether that be through losing weight to get that “bikini body” or start tanning in May to get that “summer glow”. All around us there is constant messaging stating that we need to change ourselves to “live our best life”, but that could not be further from the truth. Our bodies already go through so much to keep us alive and breathing. Instead of trying to change ourselves for Hot Girl Summer (cause that can be exhausting), let’s embrace our bodies and appreciate them for all that they do for us. Here is a little video of Emma Thompson putting it perfectly, hopefully it makes your day like it did mine!
@bornthiswway remember it! <3 #emmathompson ♬ original sound - 💕💞💝💘💖💗💓
Long story short, a healthy Hot Girl Summer can and should look exactly the same as what a healthy Hot Girl Fall or Hot Girl Winter looks like. Enjoying good food with no restrictions, being present in fun adventures without worrying about how your body appears, having healthy hookups with someone you genuinely want to be with. These are all examples of what a healthy Hot Girl Summer is and should be, because at the end of the day, it is more important to be physically and mentally healthy than struggling because of some external pressure to have a “fun” summer.
Self-Discovery
A few key themes I’ve touched on throughout this blog is the notion of self-discovery and self-love. It is still possible to have a Hot Girl Summer while being selective with who you want to hook up with. Maybe you’re just not getting everything that you want or need out of casual hookups! Or maybe you’re just simply feeling put off about the whole idea. Not a problem, maybe take a discovery tour of your body instead! Explore what works for you and what doesn’t. For starters, this Marlow blog is a great resource for learning and discovering different types of vibrators, I encourage you to check it out!
All in all, this summer ’22, have a *healthy* Hot Girl Summer by making it what YOU need it to be. And, of course, don’t forget to have a blast!!