“Women are sacred, powerful beings, and the reason most nations try to control what we do, who we marry, how we have sex, who we have sex with, how we dress, what we cover and don’t cover is because if they were to stop doing that, women around the globe might realize how powerful they are.”
Cynthia Erivo, Simply More
As a student, Erivo was talkative and energetic to the point where teachers would often tell her that she was being too much. When her favorite teacher said she was asking too many questions young Erivo was disheartened. Sadly, this is the reality for many girls around the world. When a girl is bossy, expressive, or energetic, she is called too bossy, too expressive, or too energetic. When a boy acts the same way, phrases like “boys will be boys” and “he’s just an energetic child” replace the word too. Yet, Erivo offers her counter to this sad reality when she writes, “I learned that the things we get in trouble for as children— the toos— are early signs of our greatest adult strengths.”
After dropping out of her music psychology degree, Erivo decided to pursue her dream of acting. She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), where she was soon to be both typecast because of her race and forced to play background roles. At the end of her time at RADA, Erivo was asked to sing backstage for two girls while they lip-sang onstage. In “Simply More,” she writes, “Sometimes, knowing what is not for you opens the door to what really is”. There comes a time in every girl’s life when we face a lack of respect. In some cases, such as when race or sexuality come into play, a girl may experience hostility like Erivo. “Simply More” motivates girls to turn away from bad situations so that better relationships can enter our lives.
In her chapter, “No Vocabulary for Love,” Erivo talks about her journey as a queer woman. She expresses her first time having a crush on a girl, and how her family reacted when she came out as queer. Although she still struggles to speak about her identity with her mother and sister, she is adamant that this identity does not change her, but adds another layer to herself. Erivo writes, “It’s the cherry on top of who I am.” Every girl should know their sexuality is part of who they are— their perfect self— and there is no reason to change anything.
Erivo is not lucky for her fame, but a hard worker who refused to allow obstacles to change her. Her motivation to reach her goals is a lesson every girl must learn. No matter what people say or how they act, you must be unapologetically yourself.