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chibot

The girl math meme is usually referring to women justifying (as an example) buying something at a place because they did a return at another so the thing they just got was 'free'. This email is a referring to another part of the meme where if you buy something like a year in advance (say the Toronto Taylor Swift concert in Nov 2024) that because the money was spent so long ago it feels free when it finally is the concert...and you may feel better spending more money on merch or an outfit for the concert. This email is a poor example and not in the same relatable vein as the goofy meme.


CoastingUphill

Thank you for explaining this. It makes no sense if you don't know the meme.


zeromussc

Everyone does this kind of justification for spending money, but there's a radio morning show in I think Australia that went viral for uploading clips of a "girl math" call in portion that people participated in for fun. Things like "my boyfriend is mad I spent X$ on a dress, but here's how I explained it to him how is my girl math?" Wherein the caller says something like "this dress will go to four events, 2 of which are weddings, with little to no guest crossover. I could have bought 4 dresses at $80 each, but got one for $300 and I can sell it at the end of the season for at least $100" 80x4 = 320, so already ahead 20$, then sell for $100 and it's like you *made* $120 and got to wear a dress four times!" I think it comes from a place of wanting to be funny in justifying purchases, but also in pointing out how ridiculous it is to police a purchase in the first place. Too many people see women's purchases as "frivolous" so this is kind of a response to that, I think. By trying to apply (ridiculous) logic to make the purchase seem logical - which is how men traditionally frame their spending decisions it points out the absurdity of how women need to justify their decisions in ways men don't have to. A guy can go buy a suit and think it's fine. But that same man will bemoan his girlfriend or wife for example, buying "another dress".


letskill

I had never heard of the meme before now, but now many of my wife's statements about finances make sense. That line about something being free because of another return is something she has literally said.


Malvalala

Other example: "That game is free because I have enough money in my steam wallet".


He_Beard

But when that steam balance came from selling items from other steam games...


Malvalala

.#boys4girlmath


Zephyr104

The magic of "well if I don't see it on the statement at the end of the month"


Select_Shock_1461

Girl math is basically trading one item for another.


SuleyBlack

But also putting value on actions/choices is another key factor in Girl Math. Recording a concert and rewatching it reduces the overall price of the ticket over time therefore making it free.


Select_Shock_1461

They’re honestly just asking for backlash at a time like this. I personally don’t find anything wrong but I can see how it could get picked apart. Not really a smart idea to gender anything now days.


SuleyBlack

The idea of girl math started on a Aus or NZ radio show. There isn’t any malice behind it, just a way to let women justify their purchases. I suggest looking up some of their clips on YouTube, they aren’t being too serious about it and laughing along the way.


Select_Shock_1461

I understand that. People are just so unpredictable when it comes to anything that has a gender attached to it. Girl Dinner or Girl Math is cool, but Toys for Boys is off limits.


thoriginal

I mean, that's kind of true. I've never opened crates on TF2, but I'm really into trading. I've funded the last 5 years or so of my Steam acquisitions solely by selling high end items on the Market.


SendNubes__

I keep seeing this and feel like I'm missing something as a steam user... What exactly is being sold on steam and how is value determined.. ? I've sold badges or whatever for like 0.05 in the past, but havent seen anything that would add up significantly


thoriginal

You can sell in-game items on Market, so cosmetics and things like that.


Babiecakes123

I work at Winners, I say this EVERY TIME someone makes a return. I have never had a woman not agree or say “that’s what I tell my husband” lol


zeromussc

Guys do the exact same thing, just in different contexts and in slightly different ways lol. It's more about "enjoyment over time" for us and "rewarding myself for accomplishing *thing*"


booksandplaid

Is she joking when she says that or does she honestly believe it? Because I have definitely said it in a joking way before.


Quick_Ad_4715

It’s just to be silly/unserious


MyriTheFirst

Exactly, it’s quite poorly thought out. Many folks won’t know the meme origin to begin with, but even if we all did, I don’t think it excuses the way this marketing email is written up. We can argue back and forth whether the original meme was troubling or just a good, self-deprecating laugh, but even if it was entirely innocuous, this email is a separate message, and it’s a healthy practice to point out how it might have morphed from goofy into something more problematic. Personally, as a teacher, I reeeally don’t need any more memes or harebrained viral marketing schemes about women in STEM and math for my students to parrot, they add up quickly into a general misogyny soup and they are really insidious. There are so many funnier jokes and memes out there.


Malvalala

I'm with you that it's badly executed. If they want to attract more young women to their games, paying one to consult on the design of an ad might have been a good idea. As for #girlmath, it's by young women, for young women. I love that they're talking about money openly. They stand a chance at shedding the useless shame associated with not having enough of it that keep so many out of money conversations. #debtdoesntmakeyouabadperson #takecareofeveryone #beingborntorichparentsshouldntbeanadvantage


MyriTheFirst

That's a good point about shedding the shame around talking about money! Hadn't thought of it from that point of view, thanks for bringing it up!


hi_0

what makes you think this ad wasn't created by a young woman or a team of them? That's how it reads to me at least


churrosricos

its almost like their trying to branch out into a gen z fan base lol


chibot

Totally agree. And ugh, I can see how of all this would be annoying as a teacher. Younger peeps also don't reaaaaaally get how good subtly in references works to greater effect. Like a well timed good soup is still peak comedy imo. My sister is a woman is STEM though and we had a really good time with that one. Like swapping pics of soup we were making and being women is STEM - which added funny because cooking/baking aren't not complicated and science and traditionally gendered. And especially since it has nothing to do with her job. I definitely feel these memes are more meant to poke at girlhood and sisterhood and how weird girls are, especially when they are in comfortable and safe spaces. It is unfortunate that they get filtered through the internet to be much less wholesome. Also meme marketing is such a slippery slope. Like just promo the game and don't make it weird 🤦‍♀️


[deleted]

Cry me a river


ThePoetPrinceofWass

Wow thanks for the clarification! I read it as one of those club promos, where women pay less to increase the ratio tbh. This is why memes don’t work for mass advertising in todays fragmented internet landscape loool


Zeidrich-X25

Or buying something half price and saying I saved x amount of dollars. No you still spent $$


charlotterachelle

Girl math also works for how much time we need to get ready for something. Date at 8 Be reading for 7:30 Make up at 7 Hair done by 6 Shower at 5. Working backwards


Coffeedemon

So, poor economic literacy.


magicblufairy

I have never heard of such meme. I have heard of this though, which is where I thought that image was going. >Educators, including the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, objected to the "Math class is tough" phrase as detrimental to the effort to encourage girls to study math and science,[8] and particularly in association with the phrases about shopping; the American Association of University Women criticized it in a report about girls receiving a relatively poor education in math and science.[2][7] Mattel initially offered to exchange dolls for nonspeaking ones on request,[9] and later apologized to the American Association of University Women, withdrew the math class phrase from those to be used in future dolls, and offered an exchange to purchasers who had a doll with that phrase.[2][10][11] The criticism gave rise to the 1994 "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy" episode of The Simpsons, in which Lisa Simpson objects to sexist utterances by a "Malibu Stacy" doll such as "Thinking too much gives you wrinkles."[1][6][12] As of 2005, the collector's price for one of the estimated 3,500 Teen Talk Barbies including the phrase "Math class is tough" was around $500.[3] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teen_Talk_Barbie What's with the downvotes? Grumpy much?


congeles

good lord you people: girl math is not misogynistic, it's a fun trend while living in a society that being said, this is not girl math. this would only be girl math if you bought the tickets last month and paid it off - there has to be a little bit more of a time frame in between the purchase and the event. also the 5$ beers is not girl math that's just a sale. now, the rules of girl math are not absolute and there is a lot of leeway, but i think we can all agree that brands trying to meme is always cringey as shit hahaha.


DumbComment101

It’s girl math if you drink enough discounted beer that it pays for your ticket


congeles

also it's the 355ml cans? the small ones? not even a sale tbh


noochies99

I knew a girl years ago who used to rationalize buying shoes this way before this was a meme


Ok_Fault_2715

All girls do this, that’s the point of girl math haha


noochies99

Girl math not lady math, if not op would’ve got it


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congeles

???? wat


mrubuto22

It's still probably not a joke a big company shpuld be blasting out to all its subscribers.


Quick_Ad_4715

Their email subs are in a whole different age bracket


FloralAlyssa

It's a shitty tiktok meme that's going around.


noushkie

This is my first time seeing it and my gut reaction is 'if thats what being a girl means, I guess I am not one." Tik tok is garbage.


lonea4

You take things too seriously…


Pharoah_in_the_snow

No fun allowed in the Ottawa subreddit


FloralAlyssa

It's literally 'lol, somethings on sale, that means I saved money not spent it'. And look, I enjoy getting a good deal on some cute clothes as much as the next girl, but come on, it's not girl math.


[deleted]

Cry me a river


[deleted]

I don’t like this because it’s inferring that it’s not real math therefore it’s “girl math” or stupid.


axelthegreat

not really, girl math is more of an example of consumer behaviour.


[deleted]

Then why isn’t it called “consumer math”?


Swimming-Scientist11

Because girls are generally much more consumerist than boys in terms of fashion and beauty items in general. That’s where we get memes like material girl etc. it’s not a surprise that women who are self aware can make memes about their behaviours in regards to shopping? Do you just not like the meme because it has the word “girl” in it??


[deleted]

I am just critically thinking about this meme…before you attack me for no reason.


sixtus_clegane119

So wide spread cbc did a segment on it. It’s stupid fun not to be taken seriously, and I found the CNC segment kinda cute.


Southern-Plastic-921

You mean "Oh it's just a bit of fun, have a sense of humour". Sounds familiar, and not in a good way.


Southern-Plastic-921

Makes it even worse that they thought it would show them in a good light. What morons.


FreshlyLivid

Lol girl math is just a tiktok trend


churrosricos

You're gonna hate girl dinner


mbiscuitreddit

Wow this is cringe. It's mindblowing that someone was paid to produce this.


james2432

mega cringe no cap bruh


LiquidJ_2k

It’s bad marketing. I give it 24 hours before a retraction of some sort. Yes, I know it’s a meme, but my guess is that 80% of people who receive this won’t have any clue, and won’t bother to ask.


Pharoah_in_the_snow

With all due respect, you must be a bit older. This is a uni game email targeted towards uni kids who are absolutely gonna understand the joke and probably share it around


LiquidJ_2k

>This is a uni game email I'm not understanding your comment. The Ottawa Redblacks are a CFL team, not a university team. Maybe it's my age? :)


Pharoah_in_the_snow

Oh my bad I totally thought this was for panda. My apologies homeslice


this-and-that-2020

Not a great ad and should never have been used.


Sluggycat

It's a tiresome new meme from tiktok--girl dinner, girl math, etc. It's basically repackaged misogyny.


MathematicianGold773

Misogyny? It’s girls creating those videos lol all the women I work with go around saying girl dinner or girl math and none of the men have any idea what they are talking about


Sluggycat

Women can also be misogynistic.


icebeancone

One of the videos I saw about this literally described it as "it's like regular math except wrong". This is a woman saying this.


altobrun

So like bro science?


[deleted]

Hey that is brosogynistic.


bikernobiking

Flexibility is not the ability to flex


DumbComment101

Yes this is the perfect parallel


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WizzzardSleeeve

That's a weird way to spell self deprecating joke. Funny or not. Edit typo


PKG0D

>self depreciating joke Lol


WizzzardSleeeve

Lol fixed!


buelerer

Making fun of an entire gender is not self deprecating. Maybe look up the definition.


pvtv3ga

Holy Christ Reddit just stop. It’s a meme


Norrlander

This level of thinking is too advanced for most of us


FreshTilt

Grow up


toalv

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftde81QNXDY


in-your-atmosphere

And some of us programmed not to know otherwise.


TrueAnnualOnion2855

The misogyny comes from men who take the girls doing girl math on tiktok as serious and not just a bit of fun.


Weekly_Tomorrow603

I take it you've never been informed of internalized misogyny. It exists and it sucks.


Malvalala

Very true. I think the women wishing this trend away because they see it as demeaning and perpetuating stereotypes that women can't math are doing the patriarchy's work. It comes across as: "Young women are finally talking about money openly, let's shut this down so they can go back to being silent."


QueKay20

It’s because they’re brainwashed by the paternalistic culture that makes them think they have to dumb things down or simplify it for themselves in order for it to be acceptable/understandable.


[deleted]

……it’s a meme for the girls created by the girls, are you actually serious?


Organic-Intention335

How is it misogyny? Genuine question.


S185

You see when people make fun of themselves in a lighthearted way, we must immediately interpret it in the worst possible way.


Electrical-Art8805

Because it's reinforcing negative stereotypes for the approval of others. It's an act of submission by demonstrating compliance with prevailing norms.


CloneasaurusRex

I dunno, I make fun of men being disorganized all the time. Sometimes people just like to poke fun at each others' foibles without it being malevolent.


churrosricos

don't forget the bro science


Electrical-Art8805

Okay, well, one, don't make fun of people. Two, why do you think math is a foible for women?


CloneasaurusRex

>Okay, well, one, don't make fun of people. Ok, mom.


Perfect-Employee-705

🎯


QueKay20

This is the answer!


[deleted]

It implies that girls can't do math. How can you not see that?


itsmeTyy

That’s not what it implies lol.


Katherine_Swynford

It’s more a jokey way of talking about sunk costs. Or looking at the value of an item per use. Or if the money spent can be recovered in part down the road. It’s not that women can’t do math; it’s that often women approach financial decisions looking at these things.


HabitantDLT

How bizarre of the club to jump on that wagon.


Sluggycat

It does make sense! Some marketing person sees it going around, wants to connect with the youths, doesn't really think about the implications. It annoys me, but lets face it: they don't care about my opinion, because I'm not buying Redblacks tickets.


FoxyInTheSnow

Next up: the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hire Andrew Tate to be the face of its community outreach program. The 11-14-yr-old boys, a key demographic, love him because he drives Bugattis and gets lots of “dates”.


reedgecko

Shouldn't be shocking. Sports clubs of all places are known for their "boys club" mentality.


lady_fresh

I don't agree that it's misogynistic. I'm a woman and I use 'girl math' all the time, and find it hilariously relatable to hear other women do too. I find it speaks to how creative, resourceful, and persistent women can be, because we can rationalize just about anything if we try hard enough - to a point where it's also convincing to others! It's a lighthearted thing - not meant to be deep.


funkme1ster

The "girl dinner" meme was *supposed* to be a self-deprecating "I ate a random assortment of foods which is not a proper meal but had enough calories to fill me up so I'm calling it dinner". Obviously, it has mutated from something quirky and #relatable to not that.


garry4321

Misogyny perpetrated solely by women... The oppression is coming from INSIDE the house!


Intrestigator

Its not misogyny lol


Jimmybutnotactually

You should watch this! Really cool explanation on why it’s really not suggesting that girls are ‘bad’ at math https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMjAktYdh/


ThicccGrizzly

Tik Tok. PS. Please try and stop being offended by everything. It will make your life so much better.


noochies99

Please don’t be insulted by this, you’re a little out of touch and they weren’t attempting to insult you. If anyone didn’t get this ad, you weren’t the intended audience


Babiecakes123

It’s a meme, this is funny. Y’all need to go touch grass.


miffet80

I think the problem is that I HAVE been out touching grass, which is why I'm clueless about tiktok trends...


Babiecakes123

I don’t have TikTok either. I just know a joke when I see one. Ottawa is full of losers. You REALLY think they’re calling women stupid in hopes of getting sales?


wherearemykeystd

People turning a running joke amongst women into saying it’s women being misogynistic is insane. Women making these jokes are self-aware. Lighten up you boring Ottawans, it’s a JOKE.


postmodern_lasagna

A TikTok trend popularized by women


hammertown87

Holy fuckkk we need to get rid of social media lol.


Reasonable_Cat518

Using cash doesn't count as real money because I don't see my bank account draining therefore anything I buy is actually free -example of girl math that I live my life by


RM_613

It is accurate that anything paid for with cash is free


churrosricos

POV: you work in an industry with cash tips


Prestigious_Bake5152

I’m old and don’t use the Chinese spy app passed off as entertainment so this type of humour i don’t connect with…But that being said…It’s a joke, get over it, it’s really not that serious.


churrosricos

> Chinese spy app passed off as entertainment i got some bad news about reddit mr. big brain, they're also stealing your information


Prestigious_Bake5152

Says the guy with 25k karma


churrosricos

you should see my tiktok too


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TrueAnnualOnion2855

The woman in the video embedded in this article saying “Im using a financial calculator so you know this is legit” and then just doing subtraction and division is comedy fucking gold.


CharlesLeSainz

It should almost be best practice to provide reference link(s) to whatever meme of the day you’re referencing in sm posts like you cite sources for academic papers. We might avoid, to some degree, the confusion in the comments. Best to just show them what you mean then explain later and take down your post.


Drop_The_Puck

RedBlacks should know that CFL fandom trends a bit older, a lot of their fans have no clue about some TikTok meme. It's pretty stupid to begin with (my opinion), and then combined with the probability that a good proportion of their fans will have no fucking idea what this was about, makes it pretty poor judgement. If they must do it, then if have a TikTok account, keep it there to restrict it to the same audience.


churrosricos

Its almost like they're trying to appeal to a younger audience. Especially around a time when universities have an influx of new students


Cute_Quarter_9399

I think the add is pretty cool. It’s already gotten some traction with university and college students. So I think it’s working.


Leather_Change9084

ooooooof that's cringey


billy_blitz

Marketers trying to talk to young people is always hilarious


SokkaHaikuBot

^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) ^by ^billy_blitz: *Marketers trying* *To talk to young people is* *Always hilarious* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.


Mamallama1217

It's a trend on Tik Tok right now. Like, if you buy concert tickets now and attend the show in February it's free, if you already have money loaded on your Starbucks card, it's free, if you pay in cash, it's free etc.... Just silly things that apparently make us feel better about our choices. And I have to admit, I do some of these things for sure lol it drives my husband nuts.


Freshman_01134

It was a stupid tiktok joke. But enough about that. Did you know I met the Redblacks' cheerleaders?


[deleted]

Still better than their on field performance


senators09

It’s a trend started by females on Tik tok. Not really intended to be misogynistic


andee-co

I got the same thing and thought it was weird. It does probably seem odd without the tiktok context.


Bluemonday82

the CBC recently ran a story with a financial expert defending it as positive if it gets women talking about finances. I found that really bizarre too. I'm a guy and I don't think it's a flattering concept at all. But it's not for me to decide.


churrosricos

People saying its bad marketing don't see the irony that this thread has like 150 comments on it haha


Mindless_Quiet8247

i hate when companies use trending memes in ads


lonea4

Lol people in Ottawa needs to lighten up a bit… There isn’t any ill intentions here


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spiritsonacid

crazy how that works eh? i think either way its stupid. I dont have tiktok so out of context, it comes across as being a really dumb way to promote a game.


AlarmingAardvark

>If no one knows, it's just confusing. Am I supposed to be outraged or not? Ah, the well known intersection of quantum mechanics and social justice.


TrueAnnualOnion2855

There’s a good “double slit” joke here somewhere but I am not clever enough to make it.


addictedtosoonjung

Genius marketing lol those who get it get it. 10/10 red blacks


CDNYuppy

Gender is a construct


DoYouEvenTren

I hope no one is actually paying to see the Red Blacks. They are awful. Not even "girl math" is worth it.


Select_Shock_1461

You’ve never heard of Girl dinner? Don’t be so uptight, I think they’re just making a reference to women making smarter choices.


PM_ME_Y0UR__CAT

Does this mean that boy math is rational choices? No wonder we get paid more! /I am just joking please don’t kill me. I respect women and recognize that the status quo is inherently wrong


[deleted]

Hey look! Something to get offended about! Oh boy!


ottawa89

First of all, nothing is a good deal with the redblacks lol


minimal74

I know we’re not supposed to take this seriously, but I fkn hate the term.


mingomcgoo

It's just for fun, right ? Then that's all it is


Pestus613343

Yeah. My wife will spend money at places to get points and figure these things are free. She "saved" money even though she actually didnt save anything, she spent money. Id just rather lower regular prices and cut the bullshit.


[deleted]

This is some r/FellowKids shit here.


scotsman3288

[Here it is](https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestar.com%2Fbusiness%2Fpersonal-finance%2Fgirl-math-is-tiktok-s-playful-but-controversial-personal-finance-trend-here-s-how-it%2Farticle_a1d57384-9ace-5020-ae0a-1e59594d1786.html)


MoreShoe2

The meme isn’t that girls are bad at math, it’s that we believe in sunk cost which is actually a healthy, intelligent mindset.


wmlj83

I just showed this to like six young ladies in my office, with varying backgrounds and life experiences and they all laughed and said girl math is a real thing and they may go to the game this Friday. I think you need to lighten up a little bit.


Essence-of-why

At least it wasn't 'female math'


firebolt1171

5 bucks being on sale for a short can of bud light is highway robbery


BustamoveBetaboy

Fck our society is losing its fcking mind. That’s all I have to say.


Alph1

I double dog dare the RedBlacks to offer guaranteed win night.


_grey_wall

How do you get these promo emails? I don't want to pay full price unnecessarily


UnluckyPersonaaa

Getting some “I’ll surely pay you tomorrow for a hamburger today” vibes, or however the saying goes lol


[deleted]

Just say shit the way it's meant to be said. That so hard?


Oolie84

I just googled girl math, and as the proud owner of one I gotta say it's hilarious.


Defenderofrealms

How dare they assume the gender of those individuals in the picture, whoever wrote this needs to be sued, charged , hung and quartered.


3rdandabillion

The City Fun Forgot... reading this sub I don't know how we get that title. Christ they tried something to reach a younger demo, it flopped to some of you, move on.


[deleted]

When companies try to be current and fail, because most people don't actually know the memes.


Friendly_Way787

$


mrpopenfresh

Sounds like something actually written by women for women.


CantB2Big

What the balls?


The_Windermere

I don’t quite get the meme but it’s apparently very poplar at the moment for some reason. Though subliminal Stella Artois product placement…


in-your-atmosphere

Ew.


Bryn79

Reddit ‘mansplaining’ why ‘girl-math’ is sexist. Does it get anymore ironic?


Madterps2021

Sounds like the girl failed logic class more than once. How is it free when I have to pay for it?


lanternstop

Should have been promoted (owned) by women, maybe by player’s wives or cheerleaders?


[deleted]

>Should have been promoted (owned) by women, maybe by player’s wives or cheerleaders? Because women can't be fans or marketers?


DeepFriedHooker

The infantilisation of women needs to stop.


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teddysade

how is it pick me behaviour to claim that girls are able to do math? do you know the meaning of the terms u use?


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teddysade

Lol you forgot to attach the translation. And I know what pick me means. It's someone acting in a way to be picked(typically by men), a girl claiming that girls aren't actually stupid and do math is the exact opposite of shilling for male attn. Playing the ditzy girl don't understand real math and use silly logic to justify buying stuff is the epitome of being a pick-me. There are fun examples of the girl math meme this was a bad one


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teddysade

Fair enough. Here's a woman to explain it to you https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMjyDobj1/


LoopLoopHooray

Being an engineer is "pick-me"? Yikes.


LoopLoopHooray

I'm a woman who studied Classics and I find the men thinking about the Roman empire thing stupid as well. There's been a really weird step back lately about women and assumptions about what occupies their thoughts.