# notes --- - [[{3.3b} we don't have a cultural adulthood anymore]] - [[{3.3b1} the infantilization of millennial women]] # summary --- *generated from AI; I watched this vid months ago* - The video begins by discussing the viral TikTok trend "Girl Dinner," which features women sharing unconventional and simple meals. These meals are often not traditionally "adult" and are seen as playful and subversive. - Ellis explores how the term "girl" is used in modern culture, such as in "Hot Girl Summer" or "Clean Girl Aesthetic." This branding taps into both youthfulness and femininity, but raises questions about why "girl" is used instead of "woman." - The video delves into how many millennial women cling to the "girl" label as a way of expressing playfulness, perhaps because adulthood, as traditionally defined, feels inaccessible or undesirable to them. - Adulthood is framed as a set of milestones—stable housing, marriage, finances, and parenthood—that many millennials have not achieved. Economic precarity, wage stagnation, and the rising costs of living make these goals difficult to attain. - The concept of "adulting" is discussed as a verb rather than a noun, signaling that adulthood is seen as something people must work toward but often feel they are failing at. - Ellis argues that societal expectations of adulthood are rooted in traditional middle-class values, and millennials, especially women, are often criticized for not meeting these standards. - There is also a discussion of how marginalized groups, such as disabled and queer women, have been historically excluded from traditional adulthood, further complicating the experience of growing up. - The video ends with a reflection on how embracing playful aspects of "girlhood" may be a form of liberation, challenging societal pressures to conform to rigid ideas of adulthood.