Beingwell’s Life Coach Grace McMahon has provided some guidance for navigating Hot Girl Summer. Please see below and do let me know should you be interested in featuring. It would be great to hear from you!

1. Understand where Hot Girl Summer Originates From

On first look, Hot Girl Summer appears like just another hashtag, exclusive to cis women with diet culture connotations which promote the idea women need to look a certain way. Upon further investigation, Hot Girl Summer is actually a positive, feminist message, originating from American Rap star Megan Thee Stallion, trying to encourage women to go after what they want and do what they want without being apologetic about it.

2. Hot Girl Summer is For Everyone!

This is a movement based in feminism, so as long as you respect women, you are free to embrace this movement in any way which makes sense to you.

3. How Do I Find Out What Hot Girl Summer Means to Me?

The first step is to reflect – take time to be away from the noise and understand what it is that makes you feel confident. Journaling isn’t for everyone, though can be a really useful tool, so you could even try to voice record your thoughts and listen back. Some prompts to help you:

When do I feel most confident?
Are there any goals I have before Autumn comes?
What’s the best way for me to achieve them?
If spending time on your own, reading and sitting outside solo makes you feel confident and satisfied in yourself, that’s Hot Girl Summer in action. If going out with your friends, drinking under the sunshine and dancing to loud music makes you feel good, that’s Hot Girl Summer in action too.

Hot Girl Summer isn’t an ablest movement, however it’s important to reiterate that if you have a chronic condition/disability, just because a lot of the content doesn’t reflect people who look like you, it doesn’t mean you aren’t worthy or can’t embrace it too.

4. Things to be Aware Of

The foundations of Hot Girl Summer are rooted in positivity, however there is a risk for a dark side to creep in. It can be interpreted in the sphere of diet culture, encouraging people to strive for a certain body type, and if they don’t, they are undeserving of feeling confident in their own skin. Make sure you are conscious of where you are digesting information and what ideas are supporting it.

If Hot Girl Summer is making you feel negatively, there are some actions you can take to negate this feeling. Some have interpreted it to mean you have to say yes to everything, but this doesn’t suit everyone. It’s about saying yes to what you want too! If you come away from seeing friends feeling exhausted, or stressed, pull back a bit! It’s okay to turn down a friend to have some alone time.

Most of all, try your best to ignore the comments, do what you enjoy and don’t be apologetic about it!