Last year, LeanIn.org came up with a campaign entitled #banbossy. It was all about the fact that when boys assert themselves, they are labeled as “leaders”, but when girls do the same, they are labeled “bossy”. I have proudly worn that moniker, although I think my sisters would say it was for other reasons. Bossy is just one more “B word” ascribed to women that we would like to shed.
Of course, we all know the ultimate “B word”, and it’s something that rhymes with witch. Here’s where the girls who were bossy grow up to be strong, confident and very assertive, earning them this new badge of honor. It further illuminates the double standard in place in society to this day.
I am all in favor of eliminating the negative connotations of these illustrious “B words”. I am also proposing that there is yet another “B word” that can help us move past them. It is a simple concept, and one that serves everyone. That word is “BE”. When girls, women…indeed, everyone…learns to “BE”, a whole host of amazing things happen. They BEcome self-assured, they BElieve in themselves, and they BEhave in a manner that is consistent with who they truly are. When someone learns to BE first, they have tapped into their essence and inner power, allowing them to DO amazing things. They become superb (emphasis on the ‘b’).
As someone who has embraced this concept, I can say that it is an honor to BElong to such an illustrious group. Won’t you join us? Embrace your inner “B word” today!