Realizing My Sexism

In the past few weeks, I've noticed a troubling trend. Words coming out of my mouth that I never paid a lot of attention to before. But that when said to a specific audience take on stronger meaning...

The audience is my daughter and my son.

The words?

"Run like a girl" or "hit like a girl" or "kick like a girl" or "doing it all girlie"

Well, crud.

It's come up because we, as a family, are tae kwon do students. It's very empowering. We're strong, we work hard.

And when we talk about improving, when we practice at home, we share ways that we can improve.

And I've caught myself saying things like...

When you go into kicking stance, don't stand there all girlie.

*hanging head in shame*

Like, the words fall out of my mouth before I even realize what I'm saying.

And it's usually Teagan who corrects me. Not in a corrective way. But more like that video where they ask adult women to do something like a girl and they act all stupid about it and then they ask girls to do something like a girl - and the kids just flat out do the activity.


*hanging head in shame again*

It's a phrase I don't like and it has just come tumbling out of my mouth without any forethought.

I'm a strong woman. And I do things like a girl because I am a girl. OK, a woman. But you get my meaning.

In tae kwon do class, my kids see me working hard, making my best efforts, wanting to kick higher and stronger than I did before. When they see me spar with a classmate or when I spar with my kids, I don't want them to see me being afraid to sweat or get points or be aggressive in getting what I want (the win).

I don't believe in the idea of feminine being weak.

So I need to change my words. To match what I believe.

When you go to kicking stance, make your arms strong, keep your knees bent, keep your head up. Be strong and confident.

Strong and confident.

Like a girl.