Let’s Not Ban Bossy, Let’s Ban Banning Things

“Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

This classic mantra pounded into every child’s head and repeated on the playground and classroom has lost all of its meaning. In this overly sensitive society we live in today it has become a challenge to have a conversation without using language someone will find insulting.  It seems everything is now considered hurtful and all kinds of things can be considered bullying.  Are we doomed to be forever treated like we are in grade school?

There have many countless attempts made by activist groups to ban certain words that are deemed to be offensive and insulting. Our country is founded on the Constitution, the law of the land, which states in its First Amendment that we have the right to the freedom of speech.  The fact that people would be willing to throw that freedom away is upsetting.

Recently it has been reported that there have been attempts by the Girl Scouts of America and the NFL to put a ban on certain words. Their effort to “protect” isn’t protecting as much as it is teaching people to see themselves as victims and limiting our rights as American citizens.

The NFL is considering banning the word “n-word” from the game; if this rule is adopted, use of the word during a game would result in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.  They want the field to be clean of prejudiced language that could offend an African American player.  That seems like a noble idea.

Yet if you turn on any hip-hop song written today there is rarely a verse that exists without the n-word in it multiple times. African Americans throw this “offensive” word around all the time.  If the African-American community itself has decided this is not an offensive term in certain contexts, why would the NFL step in to curb this particular form of free speech? And if they ban this term, why stop there?  There are certainly many other types of offensive language being tossed around on professional football fields.

The Girl Scouts of America and Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg have begun a campaign called “Ban Bossy”. “When a little boy asserts himself, he’s called a ‘leader’. Yet when a little girl does the same, she risks being branded ‘bossy’,” Sandberg writes.

This campaign argues that a women’s confidence begins when they are young, so if they are constantly called the bossy one if they are assertive when they are young, most likely when they grow up they will not want to be a leader, because they have always been degraded for that behavior.

Women are incredible leaders and they should have every opportunity to be at the top. But, if our society continues to overprotect young women, the future will never be in our hands. We are strong and powerful and should not let one little word get in the way of where we belong. Instead stomp into that office with your head held high and say, “yes I am bossy and that is how I got here.”

As a young and empowered woman I am offended by Sandberg’s campaign. I do not want to be looked at as a victim and for people to watch what they say around me. If someone wants to call me bossy or a b*itch, so be it. If I am inspiring other girls around me and breaking new ground people can go ahead and label me as they want.

“Moving to abolish the word “bossy” risks sending the message that there’s something wrong with those characteristics associated with bossiness: taking charge and speaking your mind,” states CNN’s Peggy Drexler.

Let’s show young girls that the greatest women leaders of our day were absolutely called bossy.  The path to the top will always be paved with harsh and tough criticism.  Get used to it.