"Fight like a girl."
"Run like a girl."
"Hit like a girl."
Are these positive messages or negative messages?
It depends on the context.
Men use the phrase to insult one another when they aren't performing up to par.
Women use it as a call to action when they are conquering their struggles.
But when (and where) does doing something "like a girl" become an insult? Are we instinctively born with the preconceived notion that 1) girls perform subpar to boys and 2) when someone performs less than what is expected, they are compared to a girl - not a girl who does not {fill in the blank} just a girl?
Always™ answers this in their latest Like a Girl promotion.
If you're unable to view the video (or choose not to), let me sum it up for you:
Adult women, adult men, and boys (boys!!) are asked to do various tasks #LikeAGirl: run, throw, fight.
Every single individual performs each task quite comically - if it weren't so sad.
Then, the video cuts to 10 year old girls who are asked to perform the same tasks.
What do they do?
What's even more telling is that when they are asked what it means to "{Fill in the blank} like a girl", they aren't sure if it's an insult or not, but they think it might be. Might be? Let's revisit these girls in 5 years and I'm sure their answers will change.
I've made no secret that I am a Girl Scout mom. I like what my local Girl Scout troop stands for (I cannot and will not speak for Girl Scouts as a whole). We believe in teaching girls that they have a voice. We believe in teaching them that "just because they're girls" does not mean that they are necessarily "bad" at a math or science. (In fact, Baby Girl will be the first to tell you that she's great at math and science. They are her favorite subjects!)
We've been in scouts for awhile and as a result, I've seen many of the girls mature into young women who are secure in who they are and are willing to stand up for something they do not feel is right. I believe that a large part of this self confidence is "growing up" in a "safe" environment where girls could be themselves. They were free to explore things. They were able to make mistakes and learn without being criticised.
Obviously, not all girls have the same experience.
Maybe they should.
Until next time,
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