"YOU PLAY BALL LIKE A GIRL"

                                            

In this clip from the 1993 movie The Sandlot, you will see two rival baseball teams arguing. One of the boys from each team start throwing insults at each other like it's nothing. They take no time coming up with things to say to each other. That is until the character of "Ham" says that the other boy "plays ball like a girl". The look on the boy's face is almost as if Ham had physically slapped him in the face. 

This is not uncommon in the media and in life in general. People try and use the term "like a girl" as an insult. A powerful example of trying to end this stereotype and stigma of the words "like a girl" is the famous "Always #LikeAGirl" commercial.

In this commercial, you will see young adult females, and adult male, and a young boy who are asked to "run like a girl". They begin moving as if they are almost prancing. They are then asked what it is like to fight and throw "like a girl". They don't really put any "fire" behind their actions. What I mean by that is that they are very un-energetic and act like just because someone is a girl, it means that they are "delicate" and "fragile" or WORRY ABOUT THEIR HAIR ALL THE TIME (I'm talking to you, girl in the blue and orange shirt). 

When younger girls were asked the same questions, they had very different responses. When asked to run "like a girl". They begin to run with conviction. They run like it means something. When asked to "throw like a girl", they throw as if they are a pitcher in the major leagues. When they are asked to "fight like a girl", they fight like they're working towards a black belt in karate. 

The Always team poses the question, "when did doing something "like a girl" become an insult"?

So, when did doing something "like a girl" become an insult? 

In the movie "She's The Man", the girls' soccer team is cut and they try and save their team by joining the boys' team.

                                         

In this clip, you see the main character Viola (Amanda Bynes) trying to convince the soccer coach to let the girls play in his team. He is then outwardly sexist, misogynistic, and downright rude. He goes on to say that, "you're all excellent players, but girls aren't as fast as boys, or strong, or as athletic. This is not me talking, this is scientific fact. Girls can't beat boys, it's as simple as that". 

IF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE (what are you even doing with your life)
DO NOT READ THIS PART:

Spoiler alert: SHE JOINS THE RIVAL SCHOOL'S TEAM AND KICKS THEIR ASSES IN THE GAME. 

But back to the point about girls not being as strong as boys. According to this study, there is very little difference in performance between girls and boys before puberty. The gap grows as puberty progresses, but it is still not enormous, depending on the people of course. 

This is so important for young girls to understand. There is enough pressure on young girls and women nowadays. Pressure to be perfect. Pressure to be beautiful. Pressure to be "girly".

What even is "girly"?
Who defines what being a girl means? 

Who cares?

It doesn't matter.

We should be supporting each other rather than telling someone they aren't good enough because of their gender. 

It's like telling someone they aren't good enough because of their skin color, or what size they are, or their sexual preference. It's completely unnecessary. 

As you all know, I like to end my posts with a song. This week, I wanted to go for something powerful. This is for all you girls out there that kick ass at sports. You kick ass because you're a girl. Not only that, but because you are you.