I
may be a day late, but really, what date this post is published is completely
irrelevant. International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on the 8th
March and is a day that sees women and men alike raise their glasses to
powerful women, be it Gloria Steinem, your own Mother, or the dinner lady, because
let’s face it, every single woman is powerful and influential in one way or
another.
I’m
always conscious to write posts like this one, but then that insinuates I am
embarrassed to be a woman with opinions and that in itself makes me angry.
However, as the writer of a blog that attempts to position itself at the heart
of sassy independence, I feel like it’s a matter that needs to be addressed.
Note that I didn’t write female independence.
Fluidity and humanity for the win.
The
issue I have is that International Women’s Day is one singular day. One
singular day that aims to bring to light contemporary issues such as domestic
violence, sex trafficking and the gender pay gap, which, to a certain extent it
inevitably does. It is however, also a
day that in turn leaves uneducated imbeciles to believe women are all ‘moan
moan moan’, because where oh where is international men’s day? Please, behave.
Oh, and International Men’s Day is November 19th, FYI.
Here comes a far less trivial post than my last, but one that should resonate with every single reader. Before continuing, I would urge you to watch the short video below, (and if you want to get really really pent up, then read the comments. I can't even):
I hold my hands up and admit that I am guilty of using language associated with the male gender to throw around a whimsical insult. Phrases such as 'man up' and 'grow some balls' are thrown around willy nilly (no pun intended). Why then are we constantly assuming that men are the stronger gender? Yes, they may stereotypically have more physical strength and might be able to run faster, throw further, fight better than women, but that's exactly where the problem stems from; societal stereotypes.
Stereotypes are everywhere. Remember kids, the chocolate Yorkie bar is not suitable for girls, and if you want to buy something specifically for girls, it's most probably going to be pink. Because obviously we only like things that are pink....
I call bullshit.
When are we all going to be accepted on the same wave, as human beings, as opposed to being separated in to two very different distinct categories. Don't get me wrong, we're always going to be biologically different but acceptance of gender fluidity should be a thing. When stereotypes such as the above are still abundant in society, men and women are never going to be thought of as equal.
I would love to say that the world is doing something right as the young girls in the video above have obviously been raised to appreciate and comprehend the equality of genders, however, sadly I don't think that's the case. I think they simply haven't been tainted by the pressures of puberty, that which comes hand in hand with growing up (for boys as well may I add). Make up hasn't become a thing, sexual pressures remain absent and getting your homework in on time is the biggest of your woes. As soon as you grow boobs, for whatever reason, 'like a girl' becomes an insult.
When did it become acceptable to tell women, and men for that matter, that they need to act more like a man? Because women are fragile and men are the strong ones that we need to look up to? Hell no h20. Of course, 'woman up' and 'grow some breasts' isn't quite going to cut it, because that would just be hypocritical, but just because we have a perky (or not) pair of assets, doesn't mean we're weak and pathetic.
It's so so difficult to explain this when the connotations surrounding feminism denote passive aggressive females. Just last week I asked my male friend if he was a feminist and he laughed in my face. Another guy I asked, responded 'of course not, I'm a man!'. Sorry I'm a raging lesbian with hairy armpits.
"Like a girl" is not an insult and "Man up" is not a thing.