To be a “city girl” has several meanings but, to put it simply, a city girl is a woman who values financial gain over relationships.
One may call this new standard exploitation, but the simple fact is that these women want to be taken care of by men.
Although the theory has been practiced for centuries, the actual term was coined by the rap duo City Girls, which is composed of Jatavia Johnson and Careesha Brownlee. In their music, they talk about using men for their money.
While these provocative lyrics may seem absurd, college students idolize this. Some even use certain men of influence, such as rappers, as a standard when searching for a partner.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, it’s time to shed light on the group of women who demand more out of men.
Some may think that this new ideology is materialistic and shallow, but the truth is women are becoming more successful and are able to take care of themselves.
Franchesca Bellevu, a senior at Florida State University, feels that “city girl mentality comes from women wanting men to contribute to their already successful lives.”
This makes women ask what men bring to the table other than intimacy.
“To live comfortably, it’s natural for a woman to prefer a man with money because, together, they can afford to live a better life. And this does not mean she’s materialistic,” blogger Chris Lai said on HuffPost.
Since the beginning of civilization, women have gravitated toward wealthier men. We’ve seen this phenomenon in Egypt with Cleopatra thousands of years ago. Coupled with World War II and the “Rosie the Riveter” era, women have been working harder, making their standards for men increase to what it is today.
The outdated gender roles of the man working hard to provide while the woman stays home with the kids with little to no education simply does not apply in today’s western society. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 57.4% of women participated in the labor force in 2019.
This means women are bringing money into the household as well.
While women becoming breadwinners may be normalized, for students in college it is a bit more complicated.
Johnathan Smith, a senior finance student at Florida State University, said, “Women expecting Chanel bags on the first date isn’t fair. City girl mentality shouldn’t apply to college girls and guys. That’s something for the future when we are in our careers and financially stable.”
If women don’t feel like their partners can provide for them even in college, there’s no point in pursuing the relationship. This mentality narrows the dating pool for both men and women when the men can’t afford the luxuries and the women are not willing to compromise.
Women having standards is not an issue. However, the lyrics and celebrities some model their dating habits after can be unrealistic. While women deserve to live a life of luxury, they should remember that many celebrities — City Girls included — have very different lifestyles.
A man who can provide does not necessarily mean he makes six figures. A relationship should be more about a genuine connection versus what a man can buy you.