Why can’t ‘Run #LikeAGirl’ also mean WIN the race?

 While I was growing up I was quite tomboyish, so I always used to hear “you hit hard for a girl” or “you don’t act like a girl,” and I was always in a way proud of that fact. It was like an accomplishment not to be labelled ‘girly’ as it had connotations of being inferior, which I definitely knew I was not! After seeing the #LikeAGirl campaign, it really resurfaced some questions I had when I was a young girl living in a boy’s world.

Why have the differences in behaviours between boys and girls compartmentalised into a hierarchy? As one being described as more desirable than the other? Can’t they just be different in their own entities? Do these ‘innocent’ comments made in our childhood effect us in our adulthood?

It’s horrible to feel like your natural state is deemed somewhat inadequate, and as a young girl it kinda makes you feel crap and potentially limiting. The phrase ‘throw like a girl’ might make a child decide that P.E isn’t your strong point, when in fact you could be an Olympian shot putter if you bloody wanted to! It is a potential dream killer! We may not notice and think its a ‘harmless saying’ but words can really stick with people, so it’s a slippery slope we must address.

Women have so many powerful characteristics that can influence, empower and create peaceful atmospheres to name a few. Just because they aren’t as aggressive and apparent as some of the masculine characteristics; does this mean they are not as strong and effective? OF COURSE NOT! Our society has a horrible tendency to see different as better or worse and it could potentially cause stagnancy in our society.

This may sound sooooooo dramatic, but let’s think about it for a sec. Society constantly highlights women not receiving equal pay, inequality in the work place yada yada yada YET choose to brush past these issues that start to mould the foundation for the ignorance to set in. It creates a domino effect and the earlier years of our lives set the tone for the future.

So I want every girl to know that you can be CEO’s, footballers, business owners, athletes, bodybuilders, electricians...well basically ANYTHING you want to be and to know that no industry is exclusively for men or vice versa. When you watch the campaign #LikeAGirl you will understand why this is such an important topic and why I’m rambling on. 

P.S. Just because I hit like a girl doesn’t mean it’s not going to hurt! POW!!

B x