Brat Girl and Women In Male Fields: How 2024’s Top Social Media Trends Shaped Conversations Around Women

In a world where women often face online harassment and trolling, these social media trends stand out as empowering moments that shine a light on societal realities in relatable and impactful ways. They often spark meaningful conversations and act as tools for education, without trying too hard.

HerZindagi delves into these trends, explores popular takes that captured attention, and highlights why they resonated and mattered.

The ‘Bear vs Man’ Trend

The ‘Bear vs Man’ trend took over social media in May 2024. Women chose what they’d rather be stuck with in an unknown forest—a bear or a man. An overwhelming majority of women picked the bear, highlighting how unsafe society is for women.

Their logic ranged from “At least the bear only wants to kill me” to “If I got attacked, nobody would ask what I was wearing”.

One user wrote, “I know the bear’s intentions. I can’t say that about a man.”

Men rushed to explain the dangers of wild bears, but that was hardly the point of the trend.

The trend garnered over 1000s of responses from people online, spanning different geographies and age groups.

The focus of the trend is the perception of danger. While it’s universally understood that encountering a wild animal like a bear is dangerous, it was evident from the responses that women often feel a greater fear when faced with the possibility of encountering an unknown man in uncertain circumstances. This fear reflects deeper societal issues, including the scrutiny and victim-blaming that often follow cases of assault or harassment of women.

Read: Understanding The Bear Vs Man Trend: Why Most Women Prefer Encountering A Bear in the Woods

Women in Male-dominated Fields

A trend that took over Instagram and TikTok in the latter part of the year, the #WomenInMaleMaleFields trend provided hilarious commentary on male behaviour that is often normalised despite their being problematic or entitled. It used humour and satire to highlight gender dynamics in dating or corporate worlds and showcase how absurd they really are by reversing gender.

On the relationships front, women used lines like “I haven’t texted him back but just liked his story”, or “He sent me a paragraph explaining how he felt, and I replied with, ‘IDK what you want me to say right now” – pointing to problematic behaviour, women encountered commonly when dating men.

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Women also highlighted subtle nuances, that often go overlooked, but can be triggering, problematic and unwanted, even in casual societal settings.

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The trend drew widespread attention and participation, pointing to how most women resonated with the content and had anecdotes to contribute as well. It questioned patterns, patriarchy and notions of masculinity, with a dash of humour and relatability.

Beyond its humour, the trend reclaimed power by fostering a sense of solidarity among women globally. It brought attention to harmful behaviours, spreading awareness and calling out injustices in a way that was impactful yet non-confrontational. This approach allowed meaningful conversations to emerge, without resorting to hostility or outright condemnation.

Brat Girl: Promoted Being Unabashed, Unhinged and Authentic

Inspired by British singer Charli XCX's album Brat, the neon-green aesthetic of Brat Girl Summer went viral in mid-2024, which encouraged women to be unapologetically themselves.

The core of the trend was rooted in fashion, but the trend went beyond just aesthetics, to define a particular attitude and mindset. In a TikTok interview, Charli XCX explained what being ‘brat’ meant – by saying, “You’re that girl who is a bit messy and loves to party and maybe says dumb things sometimes. She’s honest, blunt and a little bit volatile. That’s Brat.”

The trend encapsulated what women are when they’re carefree and unabashed.

‘Brat’ was Collins Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2024. They defined it as ‘Brat’ as someone ‘characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.”

Brat Girl was someone who defined societal norms set for her and led her life on her own terms. Thus, the trend saw many embracing their authentic selves, and globally, it led to a trend that empowered and inspired many.

Read: From YesMadam's Firings to Poonam Pandey's Death Hoax: The Shock-Value Marketing Trend

These trends resonated widely because they reflected shared experiences, and they offered women a voice and a platform to call out problematic behaviours and reclaim their agency. By weaving humour, satire, and solidarity, these viral movements proved that even in the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of social media, impactful change can begin with relatable stories and a hashtag.