We are taught at a pretty young age that women are the emotional ones, women are weak, women have too many mood swings to be in power, etc.
We are taught to make ourselves small, to get out of the way for others (men) and to not be too successful or too powerful.
Well we are tired of it.
Why is it scary for a woman to be the head of a major organization, the president of the United States or the top trauma surgeon of a hospital? Is masculinity really that fragile that you only allow men to take jobs in power? Or does society just not see women as authoritative figures?
When will people understand that women are just as powerful as men? When a women says something assertive, society accuses her of having her “cycle” tampering with her ability to have a clear state of mind. You say “oh she is CLEARLY too emotional for this conversation.” You get mad at us for standing up for ourselves, you judge us when we make a better point than you and we are so over it.
Women feeling empowered is something that we are very passionate about at Her Campus CWU, and its important to know how to start taking a stand. Here are some ways that you can make yourself more present in any setting.
Walk with Purpose
When walking to class, in the city or even the grocery store walk with a purpose. Show that you are here, don’t duck out of others way who are clearly waiting for you to move. Don’t allow people to make you feel smaller, walk through the busy street like the bad b*tch you are and people will move; or they will get shoulder checked by this fashion forward power blazer.
Take Up More Space
If you are in sitting in class or even a group setting where you want some attention on what you’re saying, take up some more room. Place your arms on the table, on either arms of the chair or sit up as tall as you can. This gives the illusion of power and can make you much more impressionable in a group setting.
Stand up for yourself, as well as other women
You’re sitting with a group of friends and you hear someone say “women were made for the kitchen,” well that’s not a very empowering statement is it. I think to myself, why would anyone underestimate the power of women like that? Why would someone say something so sexist? Who the hell raised this person?
Well it’s time to take a stand. Stand up for us, stand up for yourself, stand up to your friends who talk the same way. It’s time to stand up for Feminism, stop giving it a negative connotation when it simply means “equality” which we have a serious lack of in America.
Stop Apologizing
Everyone is constantly saying that women are always apologizing for anything and everything we do, even if we did nothing wrong. Stop apologizing if you don’t feel you’ve done something wrong, or if you stand by what you said! It can make you look weaker, and you are a strong a–, bitch! So don’t say sorry. It’s time to stand up for ourselves and stop apologizing to every person that walks by.
So sorry not sorry, if you make a sexist comment and get a response like “F off.”
We are done downsizing: power, the fire inside us, and most of all our success because society tells us it makes men feel emasculated.
We are powerful. We are strong. And we are here.