"I'm not like other girls."
Ah, yes. We've all heard this statement before. Media. Literature. Society.
Let me put it this way: we live in a society where girls have to succeed people's expectations. Being that one girl who's not like other girls can be ultimately seen as a prize for not being a mindless slut. Other girls are generalized as cake-faced whores who only know how to suck a guy's dick in favor of that girl, that one girl who's not a mindless slut. That one girl who wears t-shirts and jeans in place of spaghetti-strap tops and miniskirts. That one girl who goes "natural" and opts for a makeup-free face and a messy bun. That one girl who hangs out with guys because other girls are too "catty" for their liking.
A girl who's not like other girls.
It's okay to be a girl who prefers graphic shirts and jeans over a tank top and a skirt. It's okay if you prefer going makeup-less and wear your hair in a messy bun or ponytail. It's okay if you prefer having guy friends over girl friends.
However, it's not okay to think of yourself as superior because of that.
Girls aren't one generalized group. There could be the popular girl who loves to wear pink on her body. The nerdy girl who reads Harry Potter. The punk with sleeves of tattooes and bright red hair. The tomboy who carries her skateboard with her everyday. Girls are a diverse group.
Because one thing that a lot of people tend to forget is that girls are human. They aren't one entire species who wear fake tan and are catty to other girls who have a hair out of
line. We're human. We have a soul. A heart. We're more complex than a paper-thin depiction that society has to offer.
We girls should be kind to each other. Why? Because when society starts throwing shit at us, we have each other to rely on. Girls shouldn't be against girls. Girls should be supporting each other. And it's sad to see that "you're not like other girls" or "I'm not like other girls" is considered as a genuine compliment.
Girls who use the phrase "I'm not like other girls" have their own reasons too. Bullying from other girls. Ostracization. Expectations from society. Pressure. The list is endless. This statement is essentially a defense on its own, which adds more of a reason to be kind to each other, not to bring each other down.
Let's all support each other. Let's end girl hate.
—kii
