Don't Be Afraid To Be Female
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Politics and Activism

Don't Be Afraid To Be Female

It's okay to be a girl!

Tara McGuire
Sep 01, 2016
Lindsey Wilson College
5
Don't Be Afraid To Be Female
Google

For ages girls have been the butt of all jokes, even before you understand what being a girl means you're taught what it's supposed to mean, it's inevitable. The idea that being a girl is bad thing starts long before puberty.

You hear endless negative things about being a girl:

  • “You hit like a girl.” For a long time I thought this was an insult, a way of saying I was weak, but more recently I've accepted the fact that it's a fact. I am a girl and that's not a bad thing.
  • “Act like a lady.” Don't set aside your comfort to impress anyone. Be anything you want. Be loud and proud. Fill a room with your presence, know you're allowed to take up space, don't ever apologize for decent human rights.
  • “When are you getting married?.” Why is it that everyone thinks females have this undying need to have a lifetime companion or settle down? You don't have to be in love to be whole, you can be whole on your own.
  • “That's a mans job.” My whole life I've been taught that anything that requires strength, getting dirty, or basic knowledge about cars or any other “manly” thing. I grew up thinking there were two different kinds of jobs, one for men and one for women. In fact, I’d bought into that assumption so completely that I wasn’t even conscious it was a belief. THERES NO DIFFERENCE. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!
  • “You must be on your period.” I have a big, opinionated mouth and every now and again we all express an opinion that someone doesn’t want to hear. And for some ungodly reason someone always says it's because of my period. Ya know, my brain is not actually controlled by my reproductive system?
  • “You've put on a few pounds.” I've been taught that being skinny means I'm healthy, that if I've lost weight I get gratitude. Gaining weight is a sin in female culture. Women have been pressured into being perfect and perfect must mean skinny, right? WRONG. We need to stop putting people down, it's a waste of time, energy, and effort.

    • The gender binary is kind of scam. Society likes to say you can be either Option A or Option B, but you don't have to fit into just one category. We live in society where girls want accepted but mostly, they are just trying to be themselves, we should try to make it easier. Remember you're allowed to take up space.

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    This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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