The overabundance of PS has lead to a strong resistance against the seasonal flavor from the other side of the spectrum. This phenomena has inadvertently created its own counter culture. The loving all things PS (especially the PSL) has become a symbol for one of our current culture’s whipping boys, or should I say, whipping girls?
The term Basic Bitch was first used within the rap and hip-hop culture. The first cited written evidence of the term started in 2009 on Urban Dictionary, however, the definition more than likely takes its information from Lil Duval’s YouTube video. Over the years, the term has gained its place amongst our youth popular culture, but its meaning and target subject has somewhat changed. Once used to describe a “ghetto” woman, especially one who has made some questionable life choices, is now used to describe a young white woman who sports leggings or yoga pants with Uggs boots, a Northface jacket, who is preoccupied with Instagram and all things autumn, (including her coveted PSL). CollegeHumor posted a video on YouTube called “How To Tell if You’re a Basic Bitch.” You can watch it here.
In further solidification of the repurposing of this term, PopSugar has a list of 50 Signs You’re a Basic Bitch. Any guesses on what number PS falls under? I’ll give you a hint… It’s number ONE on their list.
The Basic Bitch is uninterested in anything beyond her immediate reach, and is content with the common. She is simple, she is boring, and she is basic. Anne Helen Peterson, writer and staff member of the online publication BuzzFeed, writes, “‘Basic’ is, at bottom, a stereotype. And like all stereotypes, we fling it at others in order to distance ourselves from them” (BuzzFeed, 2014). You can find her thought provoking article here.
If you’re really concerned if you are considered basic, BuzzFeed also offers an online quiz to see “How Basic Are You?”