#LikeAGirl

Yesterday I got a goofy video sent to me by my little brother.  A cute video of parents surprising their kids with a trip to Disney, where the toddler seems to be staring at everyone like they are all completely bananas.  Normally I would question my brother’s sanity with a video share like this, but sometimes I think these things happen for a reason.   You just never know when and where inspiration will strike, and in this situation it was the ad leading up to the video that really hit home.

So yes, I found myself inspired by an ad for maxi pads…  In my defense though, Always really hit the nail on the head with this one!  We live in a world where we say that a girl can do anything.  We teach our kids to dream big and reach for the stars, yet at the same time we support the stereotypes that were designed to hold us back.  

In this ad, they bring out a bunch of adults and teens and ask them to demonstrate what it means to do a certain action “like a girl,” like running or throwing.  As expected these adult women acted the part, running silly, flapping their arms, etc.  Then, they brought in a handful of young girls maybe ages 6-8.  They asked these sweet innocent little things to do the same; run “like a girl,” throw “like a girl.”  These results were what surprised me.  These young girls haven’t reached the point in their lives where the stereotype “like a girl” has become a negative, and they did exactly as they were told.  Running and sprinting like they meant it, throwing as hard as they can… and honestly, I felt inspired!  I felt inspired by not only their innocence, but their determination, strength and pride. 

At what point in our lives do we allow this transition to happen in our minds?  If our parents are telling us that we can grow up to be anything we put our minds and hearts to, how is it that we start to believe that this promise has set limits?  

Last night, my husband and I were catching up on one of the reality TV shows that we happen to both enjoy, the Deadliest Catch, and I watched a similar theme unfold.  I guess it’s true that you get what you are looking for, because I always seem to find examples laid out in front of me when I get these ideas in my head.  On the show, one of the captains has an 18 year old daughter who has decided she wants to follow in the legacy of her family’s name and give crab fishing a try.  Now, to be clear… Even I think she’s completely crazy for wanting to do a job like that, but I do believe that she should be given the chance to decide for herself.  

The topic spreads though the fleet of boats and all these captains/fishermen are discussing how it is not the place for a “young lady,” it’s too hard, etc. and here is this girls Dad, terrified, but supportive. Is he in a lose/lose scenario… Yes.  But he is doing the right thing by his daughter and for that I respect him all the more.  If he tells his kid no, he is setting the tone for her that there is a limit to what she can do with her life.  By telling her yes, he has the constant fear and worry that she could get hurt or killed learning one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.  So he chooses the selfless path and is giving her a chance at the life she is so desperate to experience.  

I hope that as my daughter gets older, I have the courage to let her live beyond the boundaries that hold me back and I pray that I am able to demonstrate for her the importance of letting your true self shine beyond the stereotypes and set boundaries of our culture.   

"Why can't "Run like a Girl" also mean... Win the Race?"  I think it can!  

Below is the ad I enjoyed so much!