Bossy is a funny word. With Blyton-esque connotations, it evokes images of a pig-tailed, hockey-playing school prefect who likes telling other people what to do. Most importantly, it is not a word associated with positive vibes. And, because it's most often used to describe women or girls, it has long been considered sexist and demeaning.
In recognition of this, there are moves afoot to address the issue of females being ostracised for taking the lead and being opinionated. As revealed in Beyonce, Victoria Beckham front campaign to ban the word 'Bossy', these stars have collaborated with the Girl Scouts of the USA to launch "a campaign to ban the word 'bossy' being used to describe women".
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Evidently, the "Ban Bossy campaign aims to promote leadership roles among young girls". In addition to the entertainers, Condoleezza Rice and Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg also support the initiative. For Sandberg it's a personal issue since she admits to having been called "bossy" at school. Interestingly, last year NZ Herald columnist Deborah Hill Cone wrote that Sandberg "has got where she is because she is self-obsessed, bossy and power-hungry."More than simply a schoolgirl taunt, "bossy" clearly transcends the decades.
But it seems that no one wants to be labelled a Bossy Boots, least of all impressionable young girls with a fragile sense of self. According to the article, "the average girl's self-esteem drops by 3.5 times more than boys' between primary and secondary school and that by the age of 12, girls are far less interested in leading." So the last thing these girls need is to be ridiculed.
