Over the past year a campaign has emerged changing the public’s mind and heart. Procter & Gamble Co.’s Always launched the #LikeAGirl campaign in June of 2014 and has taken the world by storm even running as a commercial during this year’s Super Bowl. P&Gs whole mantra is to show how words affect our perception of how a girl should act and the view she has of herself as well as the goals she thinks she can set and achieve. The media portrays women so much weaker than men and sadly, therefore, that is what women have adopted as the way they are to be. In the video P&G associated with this campaign, viewers see how a single phrase causes the actions of each participant to be a certain way and how when asked a slightly different question, their response is drastically different.

It seems as though girls in this day and age experience a shift from believing they can conquer the world just like the boys can to a state of believing they are not physically or mentally capable of doing so. This shift seems to occur when they understand society’s definition of doing something ‘like a girl’. Personally, I remember playing softball in the backyard with my dad when I was little and he would say to me, “Oh come on, throw it at me! You’re throwing like a girl!” A statement of similar caliber was uttered upon playing other sports as well. I know his intent was not to put me down but rather to push me to play better. But this campaign has made me look back and wonder if his and others remarks using this phrase shaped my perception of myself at a young age. Did I believe in myself less and less the more times that phrase grazed my ears? Sadly, I’d venture to say the answer to that question is ‘yes’.

The leaps and bounds this campaign has already made are incredible; but I think it is vital to the future of young girls that this movement doesn’t die down. It is not a feminist movement, but rather a movement pointing towards seeing a level playing field for us all. I think there is definitely something to be learned from these young children in the video-as children we are innocent to the ways of the world and at a time in our lives when we see no barrier in sex, race, or religion. At this point in our lives we are all capable of doing the same things. Why does this have to change? Why does the media have to so blatantly make it seem as though women are not strong, confident and capable as it does to the male figure? As young children it is instilled in us to try our hardest and to put in 110%, why does the media insist on changing that?

So join the #LikeAGirl Campaign by never using that phrase in a demeaning way towards girls of all ages so we can rewrite the rules and work to making a level turf for us all.

Photo Credits: https://bandt-au.s3.amazonaws.com/information/uploads/2014/06/LikeAGirl.png?d62371