Do we think about the things that we say? Do we ask ourselves what meanings and history are behind some of our daily vocabulary?

Women today often have such negative stigmas surrounding our abilities and stereotypes that it is extremely important to be aware of what we are saying, and therefore, supporting and endorsing.

"Oh my lanta, you are hysterical!"

Hysterical.

For the longest time, these phrases and this word I used in everyday conversation. I would use it to describe people or their actions and people would use it to describe me and my actions.

The word hysterical, historically, actually has a very negative connotation toward women.

Hysterical has a Latin root, describing a condition thought to be exclusively shown in women. The "condition" was pretty much a catch-all term for any out-of-the-ordinary behaviors from women. These included (but not limited to) emotional outbursts, nervousness, uterus related problems, and even (ridiculously enough) sexual thoughts and urges.

All of these so called "symptoms" are incredibly normal for women. Whether it's due to our chemical makeup, or our lack of food, we are emotional and have different reactions to pain, suffering, heartache and other events than men do.

This does not mean we are crazy, nor does this mean we are hysterical.

Today, feminists or not, the majority of society is able to call bull on this theory and made-up condition. However, we must keep this in mind when we use the word hysterical.

Historically, hysterical is a very negative, stereotypical, inaccurate, and downright mean term for women.

That being said, today, when this term is used in everyday language we are essentially saying, "You're being a girl. You're being crazy for no reason just like girls do."

I am not OK with saying this.

I am a strong, independent woman. If I am upset, I promise you there is a reason for it, just like I promise there were reasons for these women hundreds of years ago to be upset.

We should not be ashamed of who we are, as long as we are ensuring that we are much, much more than the stereotypes and negative stigmas suggest.

We fight every day in this world, as women, to not come off as weak, fragile, and emotional. We fight to compete in this world against men. We fight to prove that we are not too emotional for the job.

Keeping the word hysterical in your vocabulary contradicts everything we are fighting for.

In the future, take this word out of your vocabulary. When someone else uses it, explain to them what they are truly saying. I am sure they are just unaware.

Knowledge is power. I firmly believe that.

For the men out there: if there is a term out there that historically represents you all in a negative way, fight against it. Don't use it. In the meantime, help us out. Quit telling us we are crying hysterically for no reason — as mentioned earlier, I promise there is a reason. Find it out.

As my girl Beyonce quotes, "Girls, we run the world."