Girl Talk: Always #LikeAGirl

 

If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch the video below.

 

Always released an advert entitled 'LikeAGirl'.

 

In the advert (if you haven't seen it) they ask a group of adults/teenagers to act out what it means to run, throw and fight 'like a girl'. They all do this in the stereotypical way that could be viewed as offensive towards women, the way that we are used to.

 

They than asked the same questions to a group of young girls. Their responses were to run, throw and fight in the best way possible. When one girl was asked how to run 'like a girl' she said: 'I'll run as fast I can'.

 

I have to say that I got goosebumps watching this advert.

 

Saying 'like a girl' is something that I have heard so many times in my life and never really thought about what the person saying it meant. I don't really think that people ever try to be offensive by saying this, that it's just something to say.

 

Always are trying to point out the fact that, using the phrase 'like a girl' to describe young girls, especially girls going through puberty, belittles them and brings down their self confidence, which is something that we shouldn't be doing.

 

Looking at my blog, my main topics (Disney and romance books) and my love for ballet pink, I could be described as 'a typical girl'.

 

But what does this mean? What is the typical girl?

 

Of course I run like a girl, throw like a girl and fight like a girl. I also write like a girl, smile like a girl, move like a girl, think like a girl and look like a girl. I AM A GIRL!

 

I am fine with being described in this way.

 

But 'like a girl' should never be an insult. Gender cannot be used to criticise somebody, this just doesn't make sense. As always say, we need to rewrite the rules.

 

Why can't running 'like a girl' mean running fast, throwing 'like a girl' be throwing far, and fighting like a girl be thinking about someone else's point of view before turning to violence?

 

The answer is, it can, because we can make it mean these things.

 

#LikeAGirl is not an insult.

 

Sorry to make this sound like a rant, but I am really passionate about this and I love the Always advert.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Comment below what 'Like A Girl' means to you!