WHO RUN THIS?
GIRLS WOMEN.
Don’t be fat, don’t be too skinny. Don’t eat too much, don’t eat too little. God do you ever stop eating? Woah do you ever eat? The not-so-well-concealed looks of disgust, the not-so-well-concealed looks of concern. Don’t be loud. Don’t be quiet. Have a voice in society, leave the talking to the big boys. You want something, speak up! No, no, when it’s your turn, sweetie. Ugh, she never shuts up, it’s obnoxious. Have you ever heard her talk? I don’t even know what her voice sounds like.
Make sure your skirt is long enough, but not too long. Don’t make yourself too available, but you don’t want to look like a grandma. Show off what you got, but if you do it’s your fault if anything happens. Was your skirt long enough? How is any boy going to look at you if you wear that?
Be smart, but not too smart. Boys like a smarter girl. Boys can’t stand it when you know more than them. Play dumb. Ugh, not that dumb, god, weren’t you even listening? They like a smarter girl. No, no, now you just look like a nerd. Girls don’t belong in the classroom, they have to take care of the kids. You want a well-paying job? Take some incentive and study. You can’t slack off because your a girl.
It’s all wrong. Eat what you love, look how you want, wear the clothes you want, study courses you’re interested in. Drink your coffee black, wear leather in the summer if you’d like, sweats are comfortable, don’t be embarrassed. Don’t be embarrassed to be you, wholly, originally and beautifully. Don’t worry about what they think. Half the time it’s either they don’t think at all or they envy you and want the donut and sweats just as bad.
I’ve rounded up these girls who are boldly unafraid to highlight their beliefs and inspire others to do so. They are sure as hell #Sorrynotsorry.
@GOFITJO
@Lucialitman
Lucia Litman
A little about why you do what you do?
I currently lead social media and community engagement for Allbirds, a brand-new shoe company that’s committed to making quality shoes using premium natural materials. They look to nature for inspiration and innovation, which is something I relate to and apply to my own content. In my free time I love to photograph food and showcase produce in new ways that makes people think differently about what they’re eating.
What’s the greatest challenge you feel that young women are facing today?
I think that young women struggle with balance. In my own life, I struggle to find the right balance between work and life outside of my job, and how to balance time spent with friends with time spent doing my own thing. I think people often take it to the extremes – I know I tend to throw myself into a job completely and forget about the outside world. This struggle with balance is also manifested in the desire to be healthy – so many people have a black and white perception about what’s healthy and what’s not and think that anything that isn’t green is automatically bad for them.
How is your content helping this challenge?
One of the biggest areas that I think people need more balance in is what they eat. I’m all about healthy eating and eating food that comes from plants whenever possible, but I also enjoy the occasional donut and treat. For me, I don’t feel the need to label how I eat with a certain word. I eat what my body craves and what makes it feel good, and will treat myself when I’m craving something a bit more indulgent. My photos generally feature natural foods, but on occasion show things like donuts or bagels. I think that there is also a challenge with unhealthy food being glamorized. If you look at what tends to dominate your social media feed, it’s a lot of shots of pizza, bagels and ice cream – which are all great foods, but not things that you should be eating every day. I’m trying to focus on making healthy foods like avocados or kale fun and appealing, instead of intimidating or scary! Googly eyes on avocados and fun colors always help with this.
What is your favorite achievement by women?
While women have done a lot of amazing things, one of my idols has always been Alice Waters. She was the first women to win ‘Best Chef in America’ by the James Beard Foundation in 1992 for her restaurant Chez Panisse. Alice really does it all – she not only has this restaurant, but has used her success to bring attention to the importance of eating fresh and sustainable foods. She founded Edible Schoolyard, a foundation that works to connect kids in urban environments with organic food from gardens and kitchen classrooms, which is something that is very near and dear to my heart. I grew up in Minnesota and my grandparents, who came from farming families, taught me how to grow my own vegetables. For most kids, this isn’t a reality, and getting access to fresh fruits and vegetables is difficult (or impossible), so I really admire Alice’s work in making healthy food a right, not a privilege.
What do you hope will be achieved for gender equality by the end of 2016?
One thing that I have seen in my career is that some women fear voicing their opinion or making a statement in a professional setting because they are afraid of how they will come off. When men are assertive, they’re labeled as a ‘go-getter’, but women often get another, more negative label applied to them. I hope more women become increasingly comfortable and are able to contribute to conversations and embrace their right to be heard.
Who inspires you?
My mom is my biggest inspiration. She was the first person in her family to go to college and worked several jobs to pay her way through college, and eventually law school. Growing up, my mom’s family couldn’t afford to send her to art classes or camps, so this is something that she wanted to give me the experience of. She taught me the value of creativity at a young age – she used to come into my elementary school to teach art classes and always encouraged me to think and approach things a bit differently. Whenever possible, she would take me to an art museum instead of a movie and tried to expose me to as many different forms of art and culture as she could.
What do you believe or think makes women beautiful?
I think women’s drive and determination is what makes them beautiful. I’ve encountered so many ambitious women in my life, ones who work a regular 9-6 job, and then go home and pursue their passions, whether that’s cooking, fashion blogging, art or photography. It’s the desire and belief that they can do it all, and not letting time or life get in the way of pursuing their passions that I think makes women beautiful.
Any advice for young girls?
Find a few people who inspire you, or do what you want to do in your career and make them your mentors. I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without the help of my mentors. They’ve helped me decide what jobs to take, how to advocate for myself professionally and have helped me turn what I’m passionate about into a career. The majority of my mentors are women and they’re all at different points in their lives – one is retired, one still works while raising a family and another is just a few years older than me. They all bring a unique perspective and offer advice from their own experiences. It’s an amazing feeling to be supported by other women, and I hope one day to be able to pay that back and take on a mentee!
Make sure to follow these amazing women for more inspiration!