There are a lot of words that are overused in the English language; YOLO has really run its course at this point—and we all cringe a little on the inside every time someone says it unironically. “Like” and “literally” should, like, literally not be used as often as they are, and we throw around the word “love” as if it’s nothing. Like, I literally love chai—I might die without it.

However, of all the overused, useless, and flat out terrible (hello, “moist?") words in the English language, one of the worst is "bossy."

In of itself, there’s nothing wrong with the word bossy. It sounds alright, it rolls off the tongue just fine, and it defines an actual quality that can be found many places in the push-and-shove world we live in more and more every day. What makes the word “bossy” terrible is the way in which it is often applied to young girls and women in positions of leadership when it’s really not appropriate.

An organization and movement called Ban Bossy clearly outlines the issue with the word “bossy” on their website, writing, “When a little boy asserts himself, he's called a ‘leader.’ Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded ‘bossy.’ Words like bossy send a message: don't raise your hand or speak up. By middle school, girls are less interested in leading than boys—a trend that continues into adulthood.”

Women account for half of the population, that’s an indisputable fact, so what message are we really sending by calling young girls in leadership positions "bossy" when they're being assertive?

We’re continuing to perpetuate the patriarchal hierarchy that has been long-standing in society—endorsing the idea that leading and decision making is for men. Sound ridiculous? It should, because it is, but it’s also the harsh reality of the effect of one simple word like “bossy.”

“Bossy” is not a flattering word to hear in conjunction with the efforts of all your confidence and leadership skills, but, sadly, it’s not the only word used mostly in regard to negative traits given to women. Take the word “hysterical,” a word that’s origin comes from a Latin word meaning “of the womb.”

Across all walks of life, women—especially women leaders—are held to a different standard than men, and it’s not a standard that benefits them in any way. Women who are assertive and confident in leadership roles are almost twice as likely to be called “bossy” than their male counterparts. The double standard of assertiveness and ambition in leadership roles becomes evident by taking a look at the juxtaposition between male and female leaders provided in a Cosmo article called, “Why We Need to Stop Calling Powerful Women ‘Bitches.”

“[R]eporters declare Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer ‘crazy’ and ‘too tough,’ while Amazon's Jeff Bezos is ‘audacious’ and ‘determined,’ a ‘rare leader who obsesses over finding small improvements.’ (In female terms: micromanager.) Justice Sonia Sotomayor, according to The New York Times, 'has a blunt and even testy side,' while Antonin Scalia is ‘colorful’ and ‘provocative,” writes Cosmos contributor Jessica Bennett.

While women make up 50 percent of the population and account for 57 percent of the workforce, they only make up 5 percent of CEOs at S&P 500 companies in the United States. This is the reality of the b-words, “bossy” and “bitch” along with other societal barricades that make it hard for women to attain positions of leadership.

Abstaining from using the word "bossy" in situations where it isn’t appropriate may seem like a small step to do in terms of helping to close the leadership gap, but it is a step in the right direction.

Institutions like Girl Scouts that work to empower young girls and encourage them to pursue roles of leadership offer great examples of how we can strive to provide confidence-building support systems to help girls emerge as leaders in the world. The world of leadership positions and power should not be off limits to half the world’s population simply because of a patriarchal perception of female assertiveness. Help girls everywhere succeed, and take a step in the direction of equality by stopping the overuse of the word “bossy.”