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Politics and Activism

To All Girls

Strong women build each other up, not tear each other down.

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To All Girls
McKayla DeBord

This past weekend I was waiting for the bathroom with my best friend (who is also a girl) and we were chit-chatting with another girl who was standing in line. She kept telling us how all she does is hang out with guys because “girls are so much drama”! It made me so upset to hear her talk negatively about other women as a whole. Women are great! In my opinion, girls aren't anymore drama than boys are. This encounter inspired me to discuss how women need to stop talking down and bashing other each other!

Throughout my life I have heard countless remarks made by girls talking negatively about other girls. Here's some, just to name a few:

“She’s wearing too much make up.”

“Her skirt is way too short.”

“She is just looking for attention.”

"She posts way too many selfies on Instagram."

Or the classic scenario of where one girl's boyfriend is flirting with another girl, but it’s only the girl’s fault. No girl, it is definitely your boyfriend's fault, too! All of these phrases are stupid when you think about it because that girl's makeup is actually really beautiful. That girl with the short skirt is trying to show off all the progress she has made at the gym. That girl who is just looking for attention is never asked questions about herself when she's home. That girl who posts too many selfies is feeling really beautiful and wants to share it.

I am so

sick of this bashing trend! In today’s patriarchal society, women need to be building each other up not tearing each other down. Women need to stick up for their fellow sisters of all kinds, shapes, and sizes! As girls, we know how hard it is to be a girl! Day in and day out, we get picked on or ridiculed for being a female, so why would we just add onto the stress of other girls when we know how hard it is?If a girl wants to wear make up to the gym, good for her. If a girl wants to hang out with tons of guys and not date any of them, go for it. If a girl wants to take pictures of herself and share them, double tap them. If a girl expresses her opinions, listen. It is time to stand with our fellow girls and make them feel empowered and loved. We shouldn't claim another girl is a "b*tch" just because she is assertive and knows how to get things done. We should be proud of her success and cheer her on. Do not ever equate her success to being liked by a man. She got their on her own accord, not because she slept her way to the top.

Just because a girl doesn't dress like you or have her hair fixed like yours doesn't make her "weird". Women shouldn't judge other women for how they express themselves. If they want to have short hair and wear clothes deemed as "boyish" then let them without commenting. To each their own, right?

Here is my biggest pet peeve: when women talk down about other women's bodies. It is not our place to discuss their body type or tear them down about it. Trust me, they probably tear themselves down enough about their own body just like you might. I hate to hear another woman say that a girl's butt is too big or her boobs are too small. You hear women all the time saying how something a woman is wearing is too tight, or shows too much skin, or doesn't fit their body type; NEWS FLASH, it is none of your business.

So the next time you talk bad about another girl, remember how you feel when someone does it to you or how you feel when you think of something your insecure about. Would you want someone attacking you for that, or attacking you for something you really enjoy? No, I don't think so. Other women are not your competition, so stand with them, not against them.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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