We're about to put the boys to bed, but I wanted to post quickly: Have you seen the Ban Bossy campaign? Lean In and Girl Scouts have teamed up to encourage people to stop calling girls "bossy":"When a little boy asserts himself, he's called a 'leader.' Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded 'bossy.' Words like bossy send a message: don't raise your hand or speak up. By middle school, girls are less interested in leading than boys—a trend that continues into adulthood. Together we can encourage girls to lead."
It really struck a nerve with me. Growing up, I was always labeled "bossy," and, at 35 years old, I still feel that it's part of my identity. But it's good to be a leader, to be ambitious, to give direction, to have strong opinions and to speak up; and we should encourage girls to do so. As Beyoncé says, "I'm not bossy. I'm the boss."
Boss it up, ladies!
P.S. How to talk to little girls.
(Photo by Charles Gullung)
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