Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Real Women

Sometimes, I look around and I just hate girls. Often, they're judgemental, obsessed with their looks and are quite frankly, pathetic. More often than not, I'd rather socialise with men; at least you know where you stand. 
 
For hundreds of years, legendary women sacrificed blood, sweat and tears in the fight for equal rights and yet some girls of today, are exactly the reason it was such a tough battle. They play up to stereotypes of weak, vulnerable females who need rescuing. What happened to the girls who wanted to be Prime Minister? Now, the most common aspiration is to be a model or a TV star. They act stupid for attention, put on a poor American accent and get through life by fluttering their eye lashes.

I feel lucky and privileged to have been born into a family of strong, confident women. My Nan, hasn't had the easiest life, but has worked her fingers to the bone and is a fighter to this day. She brought my Mum up with the same attitude; she rolls her sleeves up in the face of adversity, isn't afraid of getting her hands dirty and was always more likely to have a dribble-laden dummy in her handbag than a pair of hair straighteners: truly Super-Mum. I can only hope to do them both proud by becoming strong and independent myself. 
 
When I'm at work I see a clear divide between women and 'girls'. On one side you've got all the rich 'girls' who look down their pampered noses at you; who elegantly sip wine and whose laugh just grates you the wrong way. Those who allow their husbands to pay for everything and whose biggest worry is that they can't fit in a manicure between their hairdressers appointment, and their yoga class tomorrow. 

Then you have the women. The real women. Those who the 'girls' laugh at. They come in and proudly drink pints of ale. They have clearly forgotten to brush their hair that day, or have dirt under their nails but they don't care. They will happily buy a drink for their husbands, and although they are clearly worried sick about their daughter suffering with cancer, they still manage to find something to smile about and don't moan about life's trivialities.
 
If you got in a fight with these women, they wouldn't pull your hair or scratch you with their nails, they'd punch you in the face because they are strong, independent women. These are the kind of women I admire. 
 
When I left school, I thought I'd left the Mean Girls culture behind me, but I'm coming to realise that no matter where I go, I'm always going to encounter that annoying minority of 'girls' who bring shame to fellow females. 
All I know is, I will smile in the face of their critical glares, I will work for everything I own, I will proudly drink a pint in public and I will eat Yorkie bars. 
 
Cheers to all the amazing women everywhere, I'm proud to say my friends and family are some of them.