The latest TikTok clip trend is giving new meaning to “running like a girl.”
Trigger warning: this article contains mentions of assault and abuse.
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Chances are, whoever you are or wherever you live, you’ve seen or heard the phrases “run like a girl” or “throw like a girl” in some capacity in your life. Whether as insults or as part of a conversation about why they’re not insults, such phrases have long existed as something that highlights the unequal perception and treatment of women and girls compared to men and boys. It implies that girls can’t run as quick and be as strong as boys, that they’re weaker, slower, and inferior.
We’ve known forever that that’s not really the case, and “[insert verb here] like a girl” has taken on new life in many forms as a resistance to sexism and misogyny. This time, though, “run like a girl” once again makes the rounds in pop culture as a TikTok trend that highlights how dangerous, and how difficult, it is to live life as a woman.
“YOU RUN LIKE A GIRL”
“You run like a girl” as an insult is a stereotypical representation of how women, all throughout history, have always been viewed as weaker, slower, and lesser than their male counterparts. Barring the fact that women have been Olympians and top athletes, the insult is one of the many ways misogynists attempt to subjugate women, criticize their power and ability, and “antagonize femininity“.
Part of the trend takes on life in the form of an empowering message. Over the last couple of decades or so, many campaigns, particularly athletic ones, have turned the phrase on its head, taking “running like a girl” to mean to run fast, to run as well as others they’ve been deemed inferior to for so long.
Right now, though, on TikTok, users are using the phrase to shed light on disheartening but important stories and realities, exposing not only the inaccuracy of the insult, but also the harsh truths about living as a girl.
RUNNING TOWARDS FREEDOM
@seriesmoviesclipss Run like a girl #runlikeagirl #runlikeagirlmeansrunasfastasyoucan #girls #women #movies #enough #lovelybones #believeme #windriver #runsweetheartrun #finalgirl #edenlake #venganza #thehandmaidstale #powerfulwomen #feminism #run #running #peliculas #fyp #paratii #foryoupage #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #enparati #tiktok #viral ♬ Originalton – ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆
One of the clips that kickstarted the trend is from 2023 documentary The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story. Kara Robinson is a real woman who was abducted and assaulted by a serial killer in 2002. After 18 hours in his captivity, when her captor was asleep, she escaped and was able to lead police back to his home, where he was apprehended. Kara then went on to dedicate much of her life to helping other survivors find justice and feel like they’re not alone.
@activewithlea She played him so well! 🤌🏻 And honestly, well done Anna Kendrick for such a strong and chilling debut of her directing career. 👏🏻🎬 #womanofthehour #runlikeagirl #girlssupportgirls ♬ original sound – anna
More and more clips from movies and series where women and girls are running away from dangerous people and situations then emerged, including ones from Woman of the Hour (2023), where a girl held captive ran away from her captor’s car; Don’t Worry Darling (2022), where Florence Pugh’s Alice tries to escape from the reality she was forced into; The Lovely Bones (2009), where Lindsey (Rose McIver), the sister of Susie (Saoirse Ronan), a young girl abducted and killed by a serial killer, escapes from the killer’s house after finding evidence of his crimes; and Revenge (2017), where Jen (Matilda Lutz) tries to run from three men who assault her; among others.
@moviequotebycr She returned to revenge after. 🎥 Movie name : Revenge 2017 #reveng #netflix #netflixseries #foryoupage #viralvideo #viraltiktok #runlikeagirl #thesubstance ♬ original sound – jane
With “run like a girl,” TikTokers are bringing light to the many injustices women face, and the all-too-common experiences that necessitate them to run. To run away from captors, to run away from dangerous situations, to run away from abusive relationships. To run like a girl is to run like hell for your life. It also highlighted how women would “run like a girl” to help other women if they were in danger.
Having to live in constant fear of people and situations that threaten bodies, agencies, and lives is the unfortunate reality for women and girls all over the world—no matter their age, class, status, culture, or environment. “Run like a girl” doesn’t seem like much of an insult then, does it?
SOLIDARITY AND RESISTANCE
@lcfoord We all have a story like that. If not more than one. #girltok #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #fyp #fypシ゚viral ♬ Originalton – ⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆
Besides clips of women from movies and series, women are also sharing stories of their own about the times they had to run, nay, sprint, for their lives. The stories are raw and real, and are a testament to not just their struggle, but to the strength, the bravery, and the willpower of women all over the world. “‘Run like a girl’ for me means, no matter what, just keep going,” a TikToker posted.
@kararobinsonchamberlain My love letter to the runners 🤍 . . Run like a girl trend #mystory #thegirlwhoescaped #runlikeagirl ♬ LABOUR – the cacophony – Paris Paloma
Kara Robinson shared her own take on the trend, validating those who were unable to run, letting them know that just because they didn’t, or couldn’t, doesn’t mean they’re not as strong as those who did and that they’re not alone. “You’re not defined by what happened,” she wrote. “What happened was not your fault, but healing is your responsibility.”
Set to Paris Paloma’s song Labour, which is a criticism of the patriarchal structure that reinforces gendered norms and practices, this trend is a form of resistance to the prevalent systems and structures that not only perpetuates inequality, but endangers the lives of girls and women worldwide.
Though “unsettling” and a tad darker than most TikTok trends, “run like a girl” calls for a shift in perspective about women—this is what it means to run like a girl. This is our reality. What are we doing to change it?
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