Social media is a fascinating thing. A double-edged sword for sure; the content is equally wonderful and terrible. But I find it so curious to observe some of the different trends, how they resonate with people, and what those trends mean for our collective view of words, situations, and social issues.
Let’s take the phrase “run like a girl.” What did it used to mean? What has it come to mean today?
When I was a kid, doing something “like a girl” was an insult. Boys would taunt other boys with, “you throw like a girl,” “you punch like a girl,” “you run like a girl.” They would taunt girls with it too, and we were meant to feel less than because the insinuation and implication was that to be a girl was intrinsically less than a boy.
In June 2014, Always came out with the Like a Girl campaign. The main commercial invited many young people to show the cameras what it meant to run, fight, and throw like a girl. The older kids in the group (teens) did what you would expect. They ran awkwardly, with limp, flailing arms, they punched weakly, they fought with sloppy hands and little squeals.
The younger girls (ten and younger) were given the same prompt, except that they ran as fast as they could, punched hard, threw hard. This campaign was meant to reframe how we viewed “like a girl,” and turn it from an insult to an empowerment. It was a great social awareness campaign meant to give back girls’ power. It was fantastic.
The “run like a girl” trend that I am seeing today frames it in another way. There are reels being created and circulated showing the phrase “run like a girl” over movie clips or television clips of girls or women who are running from an abusive situation. It started with this clip, from The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story, and the woman you see in the beginning is Kara Robinson herself, who the movie was about. She ran from a serial killer. That original clip was copied and imitated using a bunch of other clips, but they all follow the same theme. There’s also this one, and this one, and this one, and this one, and many more.
This trend had an entirely different flavor. It’s not about being as good as men. It’s not even about building confidence. It’s about the horrifying truth that sometimes, the only thing a woman can do is run, and that is the bravest thing she can do. Just that solitary act of escape often comes only after days, weeks, month, or even years of abuse, danger, and violence. It’s not about being as strong as a man, it’s about the incredible strength it takes to stand up to abusers and fight for our most basic freedom. It’s a strength we all hope we’ll never have to use, but it’s one we know we must have because we are all too aware that despite all the wonderful men in the world, there are still too many terrible men, and biology dictates that they will usually be stronger than us.
Both messages are incredibly important. The Always campaign reminds us that we are not in competition with anyone. We are all different, we each have our own strengths and weaknesses. The current Run Like a Girl trend acknowledges not just the depressing thought that we could potentially be victims one day, but more importantly, that strength comes in many forms, and we should respect all of them. Walking away can be strength. Staying can be strength. Screaming can be strength. Quiet can be strength.
What is your strength? I know you have it in spades. It might not look like others, but it’s not supposed to. So, my dear ladies, go do all the things you love—and do them like a girl.
Clean Romance Highlights
Do you love audiobooks?? This beauty, written by Kimberly Pearl, is now available as an audiobook! I just adore this story y’all. Emerald of the Sea is a swashbuckling, romantic adventure, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Backstabbing pirates. Extravagant dinner parties. Falling in love with the one man who’s out of reach.
Rapunzel’s Gambit is up for pre-order. I had the opportunity to read an early draft, and this Princess-Dragon duo is SO MUCH FUN.
Some princesses would rather be the villain than the damsel in distress.
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