A Return to Christian Girl Autumn
As a college-aged student in 2022, you are probably aware of what a Hot Girl Summer is. As a refresher, the term was born out of a song by Megan Thee Stallion and turned into a rallying cry for women’s confidence. Since the 2019 hit, there have been variations on the term, including Sad Girl Autumn, Short King Spring, and Feral Girl Summer. But, one of the most popular spinoffs is Christian Girl Autumn.
The original viral photo
The term arose out of a meme posted in 2019 that poked fun at a fall-obsessed, white woman aesthetic. This includes big sweaters, blanket scarves, booties, a tan fedora, and of course, everything pumpkin flavored. The meme in particular referenced a photo of influencer Caitlin Covington and her friend, both exhibiting such an aesthetic. Immediately, the tweet got hundreds of likes and shares. But there were also a lot of speculations about their political views.
People made endless fun of the girls in regard to their whiteness. While this meme surfaced before the racial reckoning that accompanied the George Floyd protests, the country had still been in the midst of heightened political tensions during Donald Trump’s presidency. As a result, many of the replies affiliated Covington with the personality type of Trump’s base: the white woman who preaches “love thy neighbor” yet engages in anti-Black, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT rhetoric and hate. You know, the Karen.
But Caitlin Covington is not a Karen. In fact, she proudly supports the LGBT community and has donated $500 to the original meme poster’s transition surgery. Covington mentioned that when she first saw the meme, she laughed at it and found it hilarious. She took it in stride, responding to Twitter users that she was not a Republican but that she is indeed a proud lover of fall. Covington’s friend in the photo, Emily Gemma, told Buzzfeed, “I’m white and Christian but none of the tweets were accurate. We don’t ever want to speak to the manager!” referencing the tweet above.
Now, Covington is adored by fans everywhere for her kind disposition and refreshing personality. She represents that you can be a “basic white girl” while also being pro-human rights and social justice. Covington acknowledged that she is “literally as basic as people think” but that she is also an accepting and loving person. One Twitter user commented that she brings “a nice change in tune because so many of these white women are silent on these issues or straight up demonic.”
Given that Covington offers a breath of fresh air, it is no surprise that every year her followers wait eagerly for her fall photos in Vermont among the vibrant leaves. Her most popular photo from this season reached over 45,000 likes on Instagram. The comments rave about Covington being “the mother of fall” and that “all the leaves in America just turned orange” from her stunning photos.
However, there is a strange duality about Christian Girl Autumn. As much as she is adored online, no one aspires to be Covington. At the end of the day, being a basic girl is still looked down upon, especially in this post-pandemic society. After two years of witnessing each other at our worst over Zoom, people have become comfortable with expressing their messiness and disorder and even emphasizing it. The messier you are, the cooler you are. Fashion trends have been a good indicator of this inclination, with oversized garments and clashing colors and patterns taking the stage recently.
So, in 2022, there is no desire to fit Covington’s aesthetic of being perfectly put-together, something that harkens back to the pre-pandemic days. But maybe that’s exactly why people love her: we long for a time when the world seemed a little less on the brink of human destruction. We long for the simplicity of fall, the comfort of just existing on this beautiful planet and appreciating the small things in life. Her photos stir a happiness and warmth within me that is hard to come by these days. While we are constantly stressed about the state of the world, it’s important that we find time for ourselves. Covington even admitted, “I think at the root of it [her obsession with fall], it might have something to do with my anxiety. I have a lot of anxiety and fall is just all about, like, finding comfort in the small things, you know? Like making a cup of coffee and enjoying it or wrapping up in a snugly sweater next to a fireplace.” Caitlin Covington and Christian Girl Autumn reminds us to appreciate the beauty of the leaves, to revel in the taste of a warm drink, and to cozy up with ourselves when times are hard. Cheers to a great Christian Girl Autumn!
Featured image via
