I saw the above image circulating on social media and it made me pause. Before I had a daughter, I don't think I would've given it a second thought, and that's part of the problem. Having a daughter has made me think about gender equality in entirely different ways.
Had this said "intelligent" or "caring" or "strong", I would've shared it without thought. Though I do think my daughter is beautiful (every parent does), I don't want her to grow up thinking beauty is the only attribute worth having. Too often we teach our daughters that beauty is the most important thing. Fairy tales teach that as well. I recently wrote a research paper on gender stereotypes in Fairy tales, and one lesson that most of them teach girls is that beauty is the most powerful gift a girl can have. And as I watch my daughter get sucked into the Disney Princess marketing machine, I've been trying extra hard to counter that message.
This week, over 100 women were elected to Congress...not because they were beautiful, but because they are smart, compassionate, and strong leaders. Those are the qualities that matter most. And while I do tell my daughter that she's beautiful, I tell her that she is smart at least ten times more often. I know there are people out there who will think I'm making too big of a deal out of something so harmless, but I disagree. All of these "harmless" things add up and multiply and help to reinforce the traditional gender roles that have never benefited women. I want better for my daughter and her friends.
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