The word ‘stereotype’ is defined as a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing, and, as South Africans are observing Women’s Month, a month where all women should be celebrated, I realise that stereotyping is still a huge thing.
I have never been a typical girl, and I have spent most of my life trying to prove that it is okay to be different and not fit into the moulds prescribed by society.
I have always been the girl in the neighbourhood running around in shorts and T-shirts, barefoot, climbing trees and riding my bicycle, and I loved playing cricket and kicking a rugby ball with the boys. Fancy dresses, ribbons in my hair and anything pink were never my favourites, which resulted in me quickly being dubbed a tomboy.
As I grew up, I continued breaking the ‘rules’ of being a girl. I wore my hair short, only wore a dress as part of my school uniform, and took up a typically ‘male’ sport – Ring Contact Fighting Art and Kickboxing. I even preferred going to the woodwork class instead of home economics while in primary school! All of these things contributed to my peers having a lot of questions and opinions about me, but I tried my best not to have these opinions dictate how I live my life.
The truth is, when the occasion presents itself, I do swap my comfy pants and sneakers for a nice dress and shoes, some make-up and enjoy just being a girl.
Why is it that, if you are a woman, it is expected of you to always wear make-up, dresses, high heels and have long hair, and, if you do not fit that mould, you are labelled as different or not being woman enough?
I believe we are all unique and we should embrace it. We should not allow society to dictate to us what it means to be a woman. No matter what type of woman you are, embrace it and live your life, not to please society, but to please yourself, and always remember this quote by Viola Davis, “Do not live someone else’s life and someone else’s idea of what womanhood is. Womanhood is you.”
Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other …
