To all my fellow strong-willed and strong-minded Collegiettes out there – can you recall a time, whether on the playground, in a classroom, at a party, or anywhere – that you’ve tried to speak up and in turn been called “bossy” for it? Bossy. For a response to someone attempting to assert their power, it makes you feel quite powerless. Bossy carries negative connotations and can come across as demeaning.
Now think back to the action that caused someone to defame you for your “bossiness.” Do you think that if a male counterpart had done the same thing, he would have been labeled the same way? It’s less likely. Males who speak up are often encouraged, labeled as “leaders”; as a “take charge” kind of guy.
So, why can’t we be a “take charge” kind of girl?
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg says you can. Her non-profit organization for female empowerment, Lean In, has teamed with the Girl Scouts of USA and many powerful women whose names you’ll likely recognize (Beyoncé, Condoleezza Rice, Jennifer Garner, Jane Lynch) in a campaign that serves to ban the word “bossy” from our vocabulary.
Some argue that bossy is just a word, and question how much of a difference one word can really make. In one instance, maybe not much – but a “bossy” little girl can lead to a “pushy,” “stubborn,” “aggressive,” “know-it-all,” or “overly ambitious” young woman. In the world us Collegiettes live in today, our bossy young selves have transformed into assertive women that another b-word is thrown at far too often: a b*tch. The all-too-familiar adjective “bossy” is what actress Jane Lynch calls a “squasher,” and what can lead young girls to hesitate to make their voices heard in the future. Ban Bossy tells us that:
Between elementary and high school, girls’ self esteem drops 3.5 times more than boys’.
Girls are twice as likely to worry that leadership roles will make them seem “bossy.”
Girls are called on less and interrupted more in the classroom.
So while solely banning a word may not change the much improved, but still deeply rooted sexism displayed in the world, it is undoubtedly a good start. In a world run overwhelmingly by men, women often feel unsure and uncomfortable in leadership positions, and this campaign aims to change that. We need to stop cutting down girls with words like “bossy” and instead encourage them by commending their positive attributes of strength, confidence, and resilience.The Ban Bossy website contains links to a bunch of cool articles under “Things We ♡” – like Mother And Daughter Play A Remarkable Game Of Dress-Up and Sam Gordon: The Post-Feminist Flash Gordon and tons of graphics to share Ban Bossy facts, tips, and quotes, of which a few of my personal favorites are:
Also check out these videos about Ban Bossy:
And remember to make your voice heard by pledging to #banbossy! Stay confident, Collegiettes!