Before a few weeks ago my favorite hashtags were #selfie and #ButThatsNoneOfMyBusiness, but there’s a new hashtag trend that is far more important. #GrowingUpAGirl started as a comedic hashtag on twitter where girls ranted about dealing with dumb boys, having to camouflage bra straps and the struggle of never having bobby pins no matter how many packs you buy.
I remember laughing at tweets like “#GrowingUpAGirl always checking the chair after you get up when you’re on your period” or “#GrowingUpAGirl deciding which Cheetah Girl each of your friends were.” I have to admit; I am guilty of both of those. The hashtag was going in the direction of many of the other similar hashtags like #GrowingUpInCatholicSchool, #GrowingUpWithMyName or #GrowingUpWithStrictParents.
Over the course of just a few hours, however, the hashtag became a little more serious. Girls started discussing how people think girls are supposed to act and the pressure thats put on us. For example “#GrowingUpAGirl being told to sit like a lady” or “#GrowingUpAGirl ‘why do you wear so much makeup’ * takes off makeup * “oh my gosh are you sick?” The hashtag also talked a lot about how people expect girls to revolve their lives around boys too, for example “#GrowingUpAGirl ‘why are you wearing makeup? Who are you trying to impress?’…myself” or “GrowingUpAGirl ‘you’re dressed nice, are you meeting a boy?’”
By the end of the week, the hashtag got extremely serious. Girls started tweeting about the reality that most people don’t want to face. Growing up a girl is hard and scary. Girls began tweeting “#GrowingUpAGirl being afraid to walk home alone at night,” “#GrowingUpAGirl being scared because ‘boys will be boys’,” and “#GrowingUpAGirl being told I can’t wear certain clothing because I don’t want to give boys the wrong idea.”
So what was the result of this hashtag? A conversation. This hashtag sparked a conversation that for years has been put aside. Some of the conclusions we came to:
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Girls don’t wear makeup for boys. Girls wear makeup because they want to feel pretty and enhance their natural beauty. And if girls don’t wear makeup, that’s fine too!
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When girls are angry it is not because of their period! We are human beings and have real emotions and are entitled to being able to express our feelings to you without blaming it on our period!
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Girls should be able to wear whatever they want without the fear of being raped. We are not asking for it because we are wearing shorts and a tank top. The problem is not my crop top, the problem is that boys need to learn that no means no and “boys will be boys” is never an excuse.
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Girls should be able to walk alone without being afraid. Girls should be able to walk down the street without being catcalled. Girls are not sexual objects and shouldn’t be treated as such.
Most importantly, #GrowingUpAGirl has created a sense of unity between girls on twitter and has added to the progress that girls are making towards true equality. Keep it up girls! Keep the conversation going!