‘Act Like A Lady’. What Does That Mean Anyway?
Written by Nwaokolo Nneamaka
Do you understand how overwhelming it is to be a woman?
Do you realize how overwhelmingly uncomfortable it can be to belong to the female gender? To live every day of your life in a repeated cycle.
Does anyone really know what it means to “Act Like a Girl”?
Why are females often seen as pretty Barbie dolls dressed in pink frilly attires. We are more times than not, expected to possess the charisma of the ever-glorious Queen of England, molded to conform into a rigid stereotype.
What If I don’t want to be shoved into that box? What if I do not want to live my life as a stereotype? What if I just want to be a fire fighter and hop around in khaki shorts, with frisky hair; not giving a damn about the girly demeanor I’m expected to portray?
Don’t get me wrong! It is very exciting to get all dolled up, in fact, it is a big flex. The ability to switch up one’s appearance is indeed thrilling. The problem however arises when the power to choose how we appear and behave is not in our hands.
“Act Like a Girl.” This is a broad statement which is not only a perceived attribute of a female but may also serve as a restraint on how females are expected to behave. We are meant to act girly and feminine simply because we are girls and are not expected to do otherwise. We are expected meant to act like girls because anything contrary to that, is not what the society has laid down for us.
We are meant to act like girls because there’s a reason to why we have two genders — male and female. We are meant to act like girls because we are perceived to possess the distinct characteristics associated with being a female.
Telling one to act like a girl, because she is indeed a girl is telling her to subject herself to the stereotypical nature of the feminine gender. It means asking her to conform to a behavioral pattern constructed for her by society, a pattern that is disguised to make her appear weak.
As women, we’re under no obligation to carry ourselves in any way that reflects our gender. We are not mandated by life to behave in a ‘lady-like’ way. We are meant to carry ourselves in a way that reflects our confidence, our true self and oozes out our esteem.
We are meant to be us and not conform to what it means to be a lady. If to be you, is to dress pretty, talk softly, sit with legs crossed over the other, have the feminine aura then that’s beautiful. You are literally doing you. And if to be you, is to simply not care about anything, to talk however you want, to sit with legs spread apart and laugh loudly; then that’s perfect too. You are embracing yourself just the way you are. Remember to keep it real always.
Nwaokolo Nneamaka is a mass communication student, majoring in broadcast at the University of Lagos. She is enthusiastic about writing, music, and art in general. Nneamaka is also an advocate for the ‘You Matter’ tag amongst the female gender.
Edited by Blessing Temitope Oguntuase
Blessing Temitope Oguntuase is a law graduate who obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws in International Air, Space, and Telecommunications Law from the University of Pretoria. Temitope enjoys writing and engaging in research. She is passionate about exploring the intersection between disruptive technologies and the Law. Connect with Temitope on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Published by Akinsipe Temitope
Temitope is a young storyteller who thinks all stories are worth telling. She loves to inspire people to do what they love and follow their passions, tell their stories, and live in the present moment. Connect with Temitope on Instagram, and Twitter.
