Once upon a time, I prided myself in the fact that I wasn't like most girls. The majority of my friendships were in surface relationships with guys, because who wants to be friends with "those girls"? "Those girls" were weak and petty. They wore lip gloss and played dumb and could name all the members of One Direction. They wore Uggs and got manicures. (Who could possibly think that leggings are acceptable as pants anyways?) They were insecure and talked about their diets and were desperate for love. That wasn't me though. I was by no means a tomboy, but I was too smart and too strong to be like them. I thought that if I didn't voice my feelings and insecurities then they didn't exist. I thought my thoughts and opinions wouldn't be valued unless I set myself apart from other women, as I knew from a young age, as most girls do, that you have talk twice as loud just to be heard.

But then, at some point near the end of my high school career, a magical thing happened...I grew up and got over myself. Who was I to judge what brings others happiness? Who was I to think myself the model of fashion and emotional stability? Now, when I hear girls say that they don't have female friends because they "hate drama" and that they're "not like other girls," I want to jump right in and tell them that they're wrong. That your friendships with other women will be some of the most meaningful of your life, that there is nothing wrong with being a woman and everything that that entails, and that leggings actually make very comfortable pants.

My being a female is the luck of the draw. I had no control over the way I was born or raised. But what I do have control over is the way that I choose to embrace it and build others up in a world where many will do the opposite. These days, though we are told that girls can do anything, we can't do anything without being criticized. Sexy? Slut. Conservative? Prude. Like video games? Fake. Like sports? Fake. Makeup? Fake. No makeup? Have some self respect. Outspoken? Bitch. Quiet? Doormat. Wearing Uggs and carrying a pumpkin spice latte? Wooow could you be more of a girl?

There is so much negativity in our society surrounding the female gender even without women feeding into these stereotypes. And that doesn't mean anyone needs to stop acting "girly." It means that we have to stop accepting that as something that is inherently negative. Throwing like a girl, acting like a girl, running like a girl...these aren't insults, they're badges of honor. I have so much respect for the women that have come before me and I am committed to defining an even better culture for the women to follow. I am strong not in spite of my gender but because of it. It has taught me to stand up for myself and stop taking crap from people whose opinions don't matter. I will not put myself in a box because that is what is comfortable for those around me. I will not succeed if it means knocking others down rather than succeeding with them at my side.