Phone, wallet, keys, a giant beverage, sunglasses, and at least two other items…all carried in one hand. Bonus points for doing it while sporting a fresh set of long, colorful nails and elaborate rings. The internet has dubbed this phenomenon the “girl grip.”
All across TikTok, women are showing off their impressive girl grip skills, some carrying over ten items in one hand.
Of course, what’s truly entertaining is seeing these women test their male significant others for their girl grip. Let’s say…they had trouble.
Men get tested on their girl grip…and fail miserably
In one particularly viral video, a woman named Demi Schweers challenged her husband, Tom, to pick up around a dozen items, including a Stanley cup, several tiny cosmetic products, a large claw clip, and a pack of gum, to name a few.
Immediately intimidated, poor Tom asks, “Where do I start?” but Demi doesn’t budge, saying “Wherever you want.”
To his credit, Tom keeps getting sooo close, but makes several fatal mistakes in his multiple attempts (picking up the keys FIRST? Rookie mistake). Eventually, he gives up, but with exemplary sportsmanship, he admits, “Women are amazing.”
His wife replies, “Now imagine doing that with a toddler in your other arm. This is Level One!”
Demi then shows her effortless strategy, which even leaves one digit free to take on extra items if she wanted. A professional girl gripper indeed.
Husbands everywhere are learning the hard way
In another video, a husband named Jake Cahoon first watches his wife, Courtney, girl-grip not one, but two beverages in addition to a slew of tiny items.
“Noooo way are you serious???” says Jake, dumbfounded, before making his valiant effort, which unfortunately falls apart when he tries to grab the spray bottle.
As for why women tend to have this particular set of skills, there have been a few amusing theories.
“What a lifetime of women’s clothing having no pockets does,” joked one viewer.
Another quipped, “This is literally a visual representation of how we can compartmentalize🥰😅🤣”
The girl grip might be more than a TikTok joke
This last comment, in particular, captures why the videos are likely resonating with so many women. The mental load that women, especially mothers, tend to carry at any given time compared to their male partners has been thoroughly dissected by psychologists, marriage counselors, divorce lawyers, you name it. While it can’t be scientifically confirmed that girl grip is a manifestation of carrying that mental load, it’s certainly an impactful visual representation of it, especially when their husbands can’t seem to comprehend the concept.
Basically, the next time you see a woman carrying half her belongings in one hand, give her some respect. She’s operating at Level 47 of the girl grip.
