Rethinking 'Girl Math': The Harmful Stereotypes Behind the TikTok Trend

Returning an item? You’ve made money. Buying tickets for a concert in a year? By the time it comes around, it's worth nothing! Paid with cash? FREE! 💸🛍

We’ve all heard about ‘Girl Math’. Reaching its height in 2023, the social media trend promoted using creative logic to defeat the guilty conscience that arises from expensive spending habits and purchases. Whether it's deciphering the cost per wear of clothing pieces or portraying returns as strategic financial manoeuvres, Girl Math injects a fresh dose of enjoyment and relatability into the otherwise mundane realm of budgeting and financial choices. 

In fact, Girl Math logic actually borrows from some of the most foundational economic concepts. Think back to your 'Intro to Economics' subjects; it turns out that ideas like opportunity cost and consumer surplus are not just textbook jargon, but are the backbone of ‘Girl Math’. For example, while a concert ticket may have cost you $200 to buy last year, applying the concept of sunk cost would reveal that past spending cannot be recovered, and therefore should not inform current decisions. So…the concert is actually free!

Moreover, Girl Math makes low-value spending appear safe and emphasises the importance of long-term value derived from more expensive items. Interestingly, these are the core principles of good portfolio management, where investments should both maximise returns and minimise risk. 

However, Girl Math is a double-edged sword. While some may dismiss it as harmless fun, Girl Math continues to perpetuate the age-old narrative that women are frivolous and irresponsible with money; spending beyond their means and making light of poor financial decisions. A 2022 ASIC survey found that only 25% of Gen Z women could demonstrate an understanding of at least three basic financial literacy concepts.

There is a stark contrast in how men and women are taught about money, as well as society's expectation of who should be financially educated. For men, financial literacy is often seen as a rite of passage into manhood, synonymous with entering the world of economic security and independence. From an early age, they're encouraged to learn about investments, savings strategies, and wealth-building as essential components of their journey to economic success. Often, encouraged to enter industries where these ways of thinking underpin their professions, think ‘finance bros’. In contrast, while women are told they must be financially savvy and make smart financial decisions, they are not provided with the same tools, resources, and information as their male counterparts. This discrepancy creates a significant gap in financial knowledge and empowerment between genders, perpetuating the notion that financial literacy is more of a male domain.

Moreover, the portrayal of financial matters in mainstream media aimed at women often leans towards promoting consumerism and impulse spending rather than educating about wise financial management - think 2009’s Confessions of a Shopaholic. Girl Math, while entertaining, is only contributing to this trend by glamorising materialism and immediate gratification without emphasising the importance of long-term financial planning that’s required for economic security. 

However, the responsibility of financial education should not rest on popular culture alone. Rather, educational institutions also play a crucial role in shaping financial literacy. Although girls have historically outperformed boys in HSC Economics (19% of girls achieving a Band 6 compared to 13% of boys (NESA, 2021)), the share of women electing to study the subject continues to dwindle. Today, males outnumber females two-to-one in HSC Economics enrolments, as seen in Figure 1 (RBA, 2020). 

Figure 1: RBA

These trends aren’t isolated in the schoolyard, wider industry statistics perpetuate these gender differences more extremely. The financial services industry sports a median wage gap of 26.1% (AFR, 2024). Why would women be interested in acquiring knowledge about a field in which they feel like they wouldn’t belong?  Further, a Credit Suisse study outlines that women constitute merely 24% of senior positions in the finance industry. The obstacles are daunting and very influential, hence it is critical to equip and empower young women, setting them up for a lifetime of financial confidence and literacy, whether they want to enter the workforce or not. Societies such as WIF seek to empower and encourage women in this space. Women should not be constrained by their gender and their stereotypes. 

Recently, there has been an ever-growing presence of female leaders within finance and economics, indicating the importance of the progress that has already been made, and necessitating the continuation of this in the future. In September 2023, Michelle Bullock became the first woman to be appointed as governor of the RBA. One month later, Luci Ellis commenced as Westpac’s Chief Economist and by November, Danielle Wood had begun as chair of the Productivity Commission. 

Contrary to the narrative that Girl Math is spinning, these women are setting an optimistic precedent that girls are good at maths, and financial prowess knows no gender. It is clear the world of finance still has a fairly extensive way to go with stereotypes that seems continually recycled and re-embedded through different media trends. However, through empowering, educating and enlightening women to study, enter the industry and generally enhance financial literacy there is no doubt that these social barriers can be overcome. 

Until next time,

WIF 💙💙

References: 

Collett, John. 2024. “Why TikTok’s ‘girl Maths’ Reinforces a Dangerous Stereotype.” The Sydney Morning Herald. The Sydney Morning Herald. February 13. https://www.smh.com.au/money/planning-and-budgeting/tiktok-s-girl-maths-reinforces-dangerous-gender-stereotypes-asic-warns-20240208-p5f3hx.html.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2023. “Education and Work, Australia, ABS”. Accessed 8 May https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/education/education-and-work-australia/may-2023.

Department of Education, Skills and Employment. "Selected Higher Education Statistics 2022 - Student Data." Accessed May 10, 2024. https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-statistics/student-data/selected-higher-education-statistics-2022-student-data.

Reserve Bank of Australia. "Why Study (or Not Study) Economics? A Survey of High School Students." RBA Bulletin, June 2020. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2020/jun/why-study-or-not-study-economics-a-survey-of-high-school-students.html.