Every generation brings its own quirks, values, and habits, but Gen Z women have thrown the rulebook straight out the window.
For many boomer parents and grandparents, the way these younger women live, express themselves, and make choices can be a total mystery. It’s not disrespect or rebellion—it means they’re rethinking what actually works in a world that looks nothing like it did 50 years ago. Here are some of the habits Gen Z women have that older generations often find completely baffling.
1. Treating therapy like going to the gym
Source: Unsplash For Gen Z women, therapy isn’t something to whisper about—it’s maintenance. It’s just part of taking care of your mental health, like getting your hair done or going to Pilates. Boomers, who often grew up with the idea that therapy was for serious breakdowns, still sometimes struggle with the idea of casually booking a session “just to talk.”
But for this generation, emotional well-being isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. They’re not waiting for a meltdown to get support. They’re building self-awareness early, and they don’t feel weird about saying so.
2. Setting hard boundaries—with everyone
Whether it’s declining a family gathering or muting a friend who drains their energy, Gen Z women are big on boundaries. They’ll say no without an apology, and mean it. Boomers were raised to keep the peace and power through discomfort, so sometimes they see it as cold or self-centred. It’s not rudeness, though. It’s their way of protecting their mental space. Gen Z values honesty over obligation, and they’re not afraid to cut ties with toxic people, even if it’s a family member.
3. Making side hustles part of their identity
For a lot of Gen Z women, having a main job without some kind of side project feels incomplete. Whether it’s running a vintage Depop shop, creating digital art, or freelancing online, they’re constantly finding ways to mix passion with income. Boomers might see this as scattered or insecure, but for Gen Z, it’s survival. The traditional one-job-until-retirement model doesn’t make sense anymore. Diversifying income is seen as smart, not flaky.
4. Talking openly about money and pay gaps
This generation is not here for the “it’s rude to talk about money” mindset. Gen Z women are actively sharing salaries, comparing benefits, and calling out unfair pay in group chats and TikToks alike. Boomers usually treat financial matters as private, even taboo. But for Gen Z, silence protects the system. Talking openly is how they fight back against wage inequality, and they’re not going to keep their mouths shut just to be polite.
5. Prioritising alone time over constant socialising
It’s not that Gen Z women are antisocial—it’s just that they value solo time. Whether it’s solo dates, quiet evenings in, or skipping events to recharge, they’re not afraid to say they need space. Boomers, who grew up with a more community-centred social life, often don’t get it. For Gen Z, though, being alone isn’t sad or strange. It’s necessary. They see rest and time alone as productive, not lazy.
6. Being brutally honest online
From sharing breakups on TikTok to posting mental health spirals in real time, Gen Z women are often radically open on the internet. Boomers who grew up with “keep your business private” often find this exposure unthinkable. Of course, for Gen Z, vulnerability isn’t a weakness—it’s currency. Oversharing is often how they connect, support each other, and break down stigma. It might look dramatic, but it’s often deeply intentional.
7. Refusing to dress for anyone else’s expectations
Gen Z women wear what they want, when they want. Sweatpants to dinner? Done. A corset to the corner shop? Why not. For Boomers, who grew up with very rigid dress codes, this mix of casual and eccentric can be baffling. To Gen Z, clothes are about self-expression, not following rules. They’re not dressing to impress anyone—they’re dressing to feel like themselves.
8. Questioning everything, including tradition
Marriage, religion, career paths—nothing is taken as a given anymore. Gen Z women want to know why things are done a certain way before they decide to follow. Boomers, who were often expected to fall into line, sometimes see this as disrespect or rebellion. They’re not just blindly rejecting everything. However, they are asking, “Does this actually work for me?” If the answer is no, Gen Z women will find a new way, and they won’t apologise for it.
9. Replacing small talk with deep conversations
Gen Z women don’t want to chat about the weather—they want to talk about attachment styles, trauma cycles, and why everyone’s so emotionally avoidant. For older generations used to surface-level chit-chat, this intensity can feel a bit much. However, for Gen Z, depth is connection. If they’re going to invest energy in a conversation, it better mean something. Life’s too short for fluff.
10. Taking mental health days without guilt
Calling in sick because you’re mentally fried? Totally valid for Gen Z women. They see mental health as just as real as physical health—and they’ll take a day off without pretending it’s food poisoning. Boomers, raised in a work-through-anything culture, might view this as slacking. But for Gen Z, it’s not about avoiding work—it’s about showing up sustainably. Rest is responsible, not lazy.
11. Ditching the idea that career equals self-worth
Gen Z women are over the hustle-for-validation era. While boomers often saw job titles and promotions as a key part of identity, the younger generation is more likely to view a job as just one part of a full life. They’re more focused on balance, meaning, and avoiding burnout. Success doesn’t mean working yourself into the ground—it means having enough energy left to enjoy the rest of your life, too.
12. Using humour as emotional survival
Whether it’s memes about depression or TikToks about burnout, Gen Z women use humour to deal with the messiness of modern life. Boomers might find this irreverent or confusing—but for this generation, jokes are often how they process real pain. It’s not that they don’t take life seriously—they just use laughter as a coping tool. And sometimes, the darkest jokes come from the people who’ve been through the most.
