The prompt for this post was to write a personal essay based on a theme portrayed by five photographs. Enjoy.
I have always considered myself a feminist. Even as a kid, I was that pony-tailed little girl with dirt skimmed knees who claimed that she was “just as good as the boys.” That didn’t change much. I went through my spunky middle schooler stage where I craved the attention boys could offer me just as much as I claimed to be above it. When I got to high school, I enthusiastically supported things like Slut Walk and the work to end rape culture. However, I had never truly faced blatant sexism until this year.
As a person who likes to lead, I’ve encountered people who don’t always agree with me or even dislike me. That’s something I’ve had to work hard at dealing with maturely. At times it’s just so tempting to want to please everyone. I’d like to think I have gotten past that and have become a strong woman (and leader) who is organized, reliable, and able to take constructive criticism.
Women in leadership positions experience discrimination all the time. Look at women like Marissa Mayer, Yahoo President/CEO, and mom. She was initially criticized for working from home during her pregnancy. Look at movies like “The Devil Wears Prada”, where female bosses are portrayed as uptight, spiteful and straight up crazy. Studies have found that women in the United States hold under 20% of leadership positions despite often outperforming their male counterparts. So what gives? Ultimately it’s the stereotype that women “nag” and are “overemotional” as leaders. When’s the last time you heard one man tell another man to “calm down”?
Recently, upon taking on a leadership role, I’ve been dealing with a similar case of discrimination. It’s extremely frustrating, especially when validated by an authority figure, whether “joking” or not. I am still in the midst of it, but one thing is for sure. That pony tailed little girl would never let herself be discouraged from playing with the boys, and neither will I.
Word count: 329
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