21 Gen X Girlhood Memes Ranked by How Well Gen Z Girls Would Understand

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Aug 15, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

My mom was born in the late 70s, making her the quintessential Gen X lady. The 80s marked her entire childhood, and she came into adulthood in the 90s. She had me at the tail end of the 90s, making me an older Gen Z (or Zillennial, if you will). I love my mom, and we are incredibly close. She did her very best to show me her favorite bands and movies. Thanks to her, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones was my first crush. I also experienced my first fit of despair during that scene with Artax in The Neverending Story. I may not listen to U2 or The Cure so much these days, but hearing them growing up at home gave me the foundation of my current (impeccable) taste in music. 

Still, despite my mom's best efforts to expose me to the best the 80s had to offer, I simply wasn't there. There are nuances I will never grasp because I simply never experienced them. Whether you're a Gen X in the mood to relive your youth or a Gen Z girlie trying to test your retro knowledge, scroll down for some nostalgic memes about girlhood in the 80s!

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  • 01

    Same.

    Cheezburger Image 10542386432
    via @genxhumor

  • Okay, okay, most of Gen Z still played a lot outside! We didn't have iPads yet. We just weren't allowed to bike for hours after school until the sunset. 

  • 02

    Literally me.

    Cheezburger Image 10542387200
    via @genxhumor
  • 03

    I thought this was a TikTok sound.

    Cheezburger Image 10542384640
    via @genxhumor
  • 04

    My mom says this all the time.

    Cheezburger Image 10542386688
    via @genxhumor
  • 05

    Kinda relatable, actually.

    Cheezburger Image 10542386944
    via @genxhumor
  • 06

    Wait… this is a thing?

    Cheezburger Image 10542389248
    via @genxhumor
  • 07

    Ohhh, I’ve seen this on Pinterest.

    Cheezburger Image 10542385408
    via @genxhumor
  • 08

    Recognize it, but not sure why

    Cheezburger Image 10542384896
    via @genxhumor
  • 09

    Looks like something from a 90s sitcom.

    Cheezburger Image 10542386176
    via @genxhumor
  • 10

    Vaguely familiar.

    Cheezburger Image 10542387456
    via @genxhumor
  • 11

    I’ve heard of it in a meme before.

    Cheezburger Image 10542388736
    via @genxhumor
  • 12

    Is this a band?

    Cheezburger Image 10542388480
    via @genxhumor

  • David Bowie as the Goblin King really does look like a glam metal rockstar. 

  • 13

    I think my aunt had one of these.

    Cheezburger Image 10542385152
    via @genxhumor
  • 14

    Looks like history class but girlier.

    Cheezburger Image 10542388992
    via @genxhumor
  • 15

    Was this a brand?

    Cheezburger Image 10542385920
    via @genxhumor
  • 16

    What even is the context?

    Cheezburger Image 10542388224
    via @genxhumor
  • 17

    Some kind of inside joke?

    Cheezburger Image 10542389504
    via @genxhumor
  • 18

    No thoughts, just ???

    Cheezburger Image 10542385664
    via @genxhumor
  • 19

    Wait… this is a thing?

    Cheezburger Image 10542384128
    via @genxhumor
  • 20

    I have never seen this in my life.

    Cheezburger Image 10542387712
    via @genxhumor
  • 21

    Truly, what am I looking at?

    Cheezburger Image 10542387968
    via @genxhumor

Tags

throwback childhood nostalgia Nostalgia Overload nostalgic 80s kids these days 80s memes gen x 90s gen z memory lane nostalgia memes gen x memes 1980s
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