Recently there's been a clip circulating around the internet that brings to light one of the most common demonstrations of using a gender as an insult, a way to try to make the other person feel belittled.

Heading into the warzone

For me, getting up everyday and going to an all boys college, I heard this one many times as it was one of the top insults you could deliver to try to destroy the others masculinity in front of all the other boys. This insult was right up there along with being called a fag, gay or homo. It was a daily onslaught, an arena of asserting ones dominance and destroying the competition and this was the fastest way to achieve that.

To look back now, I feel a sense of sadness as there was no place to stand up and be heard or to find information on how it could be different like we have now with social media. When we start using gender or sexual preference as an insult what are we trying to inflict on the other?

Are we trying to convince them that if they are seen by others as being outside the social norms or different to what they should be, that they will be punished and labelled as weird or wrong and cast out by others in some way. To me it seems to strike at the very heart of our natural sense of belonging and to be loved and as such is simply cruel and sadistic to the very depths.

Education as a cure

We need quality education around gender and sexuality more than ever. In the vacuum on none to little education within a topic what gets pulled in to fill the void are the opinions and beliefs of those around them, infecting each new persons unexamined views on the subject like a virus.

Once it reaches critical mass it become dangerous for anyone to stray outside of that common belief or opinion on subjects such as homosexuality, pregnancy, masturbation and gender diversity to name just a few. This is why it takes a longer time for smaller communities to embrace new ideas and become flexible with the changing times.

Reclamation

It's my hope that as many young girls and young boys watch this clip and others like it so they may understand that what people say about you is only there opinion and what matters most is what you tell yourself and believe within you. It's time to reclaim back what it means to say 'I run like a girl' and it's time to grow up and let go of these immature behaviours of inflicting damage on each other.

Bravo for this organisation for bringing this common injustice to light so everyone can stand back and see how ridiculous using the 'you run like a girl' phrase actually is.

I love the end quote of this clip.."Why can't run like a girl also mean to win the race?"

Graeme Salvetti

Embodiment Coach

graemesalvetti@gmail.com#gender #consciousliving #wholistic #sexuality #integration