Be like a girl…!

“Run like a girl…”

“Fight like a girl…”

“Cry like a girl…”

Not sure why were these phrases coined in the first place. Were they coined to insult the female race or were they coined to insult a boy who refused a confrontation or could not run faster than the other boys or was bold enough show his emotional side in front of others?

What is most perplexing is that women (read grannies, aunties, mothers, older sisters) use these phrases more often than not to teach the young male child to behave in their desired way. “Don’t cry like a girl, so what if it hurts, boys don’t cry.” Why not lady? If the kid is hurting, and crying helps him then why not let him cry his lungs out! Unfortunately I know many men who make it to be a matter of pride that they can’t cook to save their lives and need a wife to do so.  This is also a woman’s doing. If during the childhood the mother made it a point to teach him the importance of cooking his own meal at least for emergency purposes then the child would know that not knowing is not a matter of manhood but absolute foolishness.

I remember when I had just stepped into my teen years, one of the family friends that told me not to hug my male cousins or playfully wrestle with them. When I had asked why so, the answer was so matter of fact… “They can feel your boobs and will know you are a girl…”

I wonder why so many men think being a girl is inferior, considering you are born out of a woman and your child is or will be born out of a woman! Basically the totally of your existence is because of a woman and yet you consider her to be inferior and treat her as a 2^nd grade human being!  Such audacity… much wow!!!

Perhaps a proper slap in the face was the Olympics this year, where whatever prizes India got were brought in by the girls.

The entire point of this banter comes down to this —- being like a girl is not an insult but a matter of pride and everyone should understand that better sooner than later.

Image courtesy – http://www.youthareawesome.com/