“That’s just for boys”
She certainly hasn’t heard it from me or her Dad. And yet, our 4 year old has already internalised a message about her gender that I have vehemently tried to protect her from.
She’s heard it somewhere and honestly, it does make me mad.
In what world is it okay from such a young age to be conditioned that being a women or girl should (or will) hold us back, put us at risk or require us to prove so much instead of being celebrated & elevated for all of our gloriousness?
Thankfully for her (and me) she also gets to read about, hear about and know a whole host of amazing women. Women who are smart, strong, kind, brave, gentle, fierce, joyful, successful & talented. Women who have stepped into who they are and made an impact in a world that has, in many ways, told them to become less, to do less, or that they were less.
That brings hope. Right!?
Hope that showing up, being ourselves, doing what we love, speaking up, using our influence to impact the world WILL make a difference – because she’s reading about it, she’s seeing it and thankfully, she’s internalising that too.
The legacy of women, of you and me, will bring about beautiful changes if we choose to challenge ideas, norms & dialogue that hold us back from flourishing and living life to the full.
It can get uncomfortable. But we’ve been uncomfortable in a lot of ways for a long time. Maybe even since we were that 4 year old girl who wanted to do the thing that was ‘just for boys.’ Enough of that now.
Happy International Women’s Day, you’re glorious. Your ideas, creativity, passions, skills & abilities matter more than you know – please share them with the world. Xx
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