Just Sayin

You’re just a girl, you wouldn’t understand

HayleeIt’s funny how often I hear things like “You’re just a girl, you wouldn’t understand” when I try to join in a conversation about techie things or video games. It’s frustrating when I hear a group of my guy friends talking about a game that was just released or the good ol’ “Xbox vs. PlayStation” argument, and when I try to join in, I just “don’t know what I’m talking about.”

Well FYI, when I’m designing video games later in life, I’m going to make a character just like you and kill them off. You’re welcome.

There are plenty of girls that are interested in the same things as me. Unfortunately, they’ve been so pressured to be society’s perfect version of a girl, that they’re worried about being ridiculed to show their true selves. How girls are treated when they aren’t into the same girly stuff as everyone else is really frustrating. My dream is to see a world where girls don’t have to feel bad for what they’re interested in, just because people think it’s only for boys.

Why are there thousands of men pursuing careers in supposed “girly things” like fashion design, and they generally don’t get a whole lot of crap about it? Yeah, their friends might tease them a little but their talents are never questioned. The minute a female decides she wants to pursue a career in computer programming, or mechanics, she “won’t be successful” because she “doesn’t know anything about it” and should “try getting into something more her style.”

Ah – the sweet, sweet sound of men’s fear of being emasculated because their interests are no longer just for men. Beautiful. Brings tears of joy to my eyes.

I guess my main point is, I thought the gender discrimination thing was supposed to have ended a long time ago. Unfortunately, it’s still causing girls to have a fear of expressing themselves, even at a young age. One day girls will no longer have to worry about being themselves. I’m tired of this idea of a “perfect girly-girl.” I’m ready to be confident in what I want to pursue, and I’m ready for other girls to be confident, too.

Image by Ed Yourdon

Haylee B
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