In the sixth and last episode of the season we delve into the future of girlhood in online culture. Since 2023, the so-called “year of the girl” with trends like girl math, girl dinner, and the Barbie movie’s influence, girlhood has become a widely discussed cultural and theoretical concept. We’ve learned that the figure of the girl has evolved into a digital strategy rather than a fixed identity, one that is shaped by algorithms, aesthetics, and performance. Together with one of the initiators of @everyoneisagirl Ester Freider, Lilian Stolk from The Hmm and Mela Miekus from the Institute of Network Cultures explore how femininity is performed online and the end of identity.

Mentioned in this episode:

Pinkydoll’s NPC TikTok live

“Everyone is a Girl” by Alex Quicho

@everyoneisagirl on Instagram

Ghosted 1996 on Instagram

Sighswoon on Instagram

“Networks and Their Discontents“ by William Kherbek referenced in “I’m Like a Pdf But a Girl“ by Ester Freider

“Side-eyeing the cyberbaroque“ by Ester Freider

“Hallucinating sense in the era of infinity-content“ by Carolina Busta

Princess Substack highlights

Find The Hmm at:
thehmm.nl
linkin.bio

Find Ester at:
Instagram
Linktree

Thinking Face Emoji is a podcast by The Hmm, in collaboration with The Institute of Network Cultures, and financially supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL.

Jingle and sound design by Jochem van der Hoek

Editing by Salome Berdzenishvili

Cover art by Aspirin