#LikeAGirl: Why we shouldn’t be defined by our gender

There’s no denying that the worldwide phenomena #LikeAGirl has freed many girls from a misogynistic slur too often used to knock confidence and cause insult. At first glance, campaigns that pledge ‘running like a girl’ also means ‘winning the race’ inspire women to achieve their true potential.  But is this gender-focused hashtag really empowering us to ‘win’ or simply dictating the rules?

When you strip away the sweaty appeal of Sport England’s ‘this girl can’ mantra and its ode to the everyday body type, there is one simple reminder. A reminder so apparently necessary in today’s media. That is you are a girl, no questions asked. Sure you are equal, but you are different and that’s what makes you great.

If you are fast it’s because you are woman and if you manage to ‘win the race’ guess what? You are still a woman. Suddenly, it becomes apparent that all you ever do will be defined by your gender and for better or for worse, society has categorised you with its very own badge of honour.

There’s no denying that the worldwide phenomena #LikeAGirl has freed many girls from a misogynistic slur

In this homage to a binary system, media continues to remind you of gender’s role in achievement, making revolution an ironic term. They forget that sex and gender are not the same in its incorporation of several internal and environmental factors.

Sex is science, gender is not. So whilst feminist ads shower you in gender identification, its worth nothing that ‘girl’ and ‘boy’ divisions are nothing more than social conventions. Beyoncé’s shout out to ‘all the single ladies,’ and ‘girls who run the world’ help to legitimise labels rooted in social oppression. The term ‘girl’ is implemented to define you according to ‘normal.’

In this homage to a binary system, media continues to remind you of gender’s role in achievement

And why should labels determine who you are? The answer is obvious: they shouldn’t. History tells us that labels have never served us well in their ability to persecute whole populations. Fascist governments used race to commit crimes against humanity and gender was used to delegate voting rights. ‘Woman’ presented here as a term synonymous with stupidity. In this sense, labels were nothing more than scare tactics to make people look ‘different’ or unworthy of life.

Of course, likening media campaigns to human genocides is not an appropriate link, nor one I am trying make. But there is a minute glare of history which shines through every time Nike tweets #betterforit or Special K insists that only one gender wants to eat their cereal. The reality is, even when we go to the toilet we cannot escape the determination of society to associate gender with the most basic of human activities.

And why should labels determine who you are? The answer is obvious: they shouldn’t

More often than not, female toilets are pretty in pink whilst males condemned to the palest of blues. Ironically, gender categories are only appropriate when they fit this binary propaganda. In North Carolina this August, a district court judge granted a preliminary injunction to a transgender bathroom bill being passed.

I only see empowerment being truly reached when media allows us to identify ourselves, without telling us who we are. Preaching to women and men that gender defines their place in society may be a reality, but it’s not one we should continue to peruse. Liberation comes from being able to achieve without any label but your own, and only if one is required.

I only see empowerment being truly reached when media allows us to identify ourselves

So whilst Always want #LikeAGirl to mean amazing things, does it have to mean anything at all? Perhaps not. Be brave, be strong, be fierce, not because you are a girl but because that is who you are. Because you don’t have to quantify your life for society.