It's Time We Reevaluate The Phrase 'Girl Crush'

Why You Shouldn't Use The Phrase 'Girl Crush'

A quick page through this site will have you reading the phrase "girl crush" more than one or two times. The Internet itself has developed bona fide crushes on the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Anna Kendrick, and, the newest crushable star, Lupita Nyong'o. It's become the go-to phrase for girls to express feelings of adoration toward other girls without calling into question their sexuality. When viewed in that light, however, "girl crush" starts to read a lot like "no homo," which is overtly homophobic.

But, is "girl crush" homophobic? Fashion writer Nicolette Mason spoke to Fashionista's Tyler McCall, saying: "I don’t think that 'girl crush' is any different from ['no homo'] — wanting to show appreciation for somebody and the bottom line being that you don’t want to be mistaken as actually being interested in that person." It's an unspoken reassurance of the speaker's straightness. This gets extra prickly when considering the various roles men and women play in the fashion industry.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot