It is time to go #Unscripted
By: Elisa Quaggiotto
Imagine being on the playground at 8 years old. You and your friends are having a great time when you think it would be awesome to put on a play for everyone. So you get together your actors, get everyone their costumes, and start the process of practicing lines- you’re directing! But, before you know it there are adults coming up to you saying: “Stop being bossy,” or “Nobody will want to play with you if you are being so aggressive.” You then decide that maybe this game is not worth it anymore. You feel like you are not worth it anymore.
Who do you see?
Because I see myself. This actually happened to me and to many young women out there.
This behaviour and language starts young; younger than we think, and follows us through our entire lives. But why? Why do these stereotypes exist in the first place?
Inherently, society tells young women to NOT stand out. It tells her to sit down and be “nice.” It tells her that she has to be pleasant and polite. In contrast, society tells young men to speak their minds; to share their opinion; to challenge the status-quo. AND YOU KNOW WHAT… this language continues into adulthood.
When a woman enters the workplace, she is expected to fit in and not challenge others. And way too often, she will conform to these ideals. If she disagrees, she will often stay quiet. She will go along with everything and further the expectations that society has for all of us. That behaviour does not benefit society!
Women everywhere need to take a stand together and combat the language that suggests there is something wrong with being strong, confident women. By choosing to stand up and make waves, we have the ability to break barriers.
Because #EveryMessageMatters!
Education is key. We need to start at a young age and tell our daughters to be confident and assertive…encourage them to know their worth and share their opinions. We need to educate our sons to believe that women can be strong and confident, and that it is acceptable for men to show vulnerability. Let’s raise children that defy outdated stereotypes.
If we start there, over time society’s attitudes will shift. By not playing to these stereotypes, we are showing the younger generations that they have the power to create a world that anyone can be anything they want to be.
Be TENACIOUS; be SPIRITED; be INTELLIGENT; be DEDICATED; be PASSIONATE; be CONFIDENT. You have the power to be a LEADER and reject the labels that people try to give you…go #Unscripted.
What kind of society do you want to live in? Tweet us your thoughts using the hashtag #Unscripted #EveryMessageMatters
