I find it rather interesting that there is now a campaign afoot to ban the word “Bossy” as a way of empowering young girls. Bossy is a word  used to describe a behavior that someone displays. Whether we like it or not there are bossy men and women in society and banning a word will not change this. It is almost like saying if we ban the word “Bully” there will be less bullies.

It is important that we be educated about the word “Bossy” and be able to recognize this kind of behavior so that the word is not used in the wrong context. The word is not the problem; the real issue is the circumstances in which use the word.

Bossy is a word that every girl needs to know. They should be able to recognize bossy behavior the moment they see it  displayed. In life they are going to encounter people who will try to push their opinions and ideals upon them. They need to be able to differentiate between a boss or a supervisor or other people in their lives who are reasonable from the ones who are just plain bossy.

For young girls and women in general it is of utmost importance to be able to recognize “Bossy” in relationships. When you know what bossy is and can spot it easily it will give you more power.   When a partner starts to  make every decision for  you, you will not get confused,  think it’s okay and  accept bossiness for love. When he tries to control every aspect of your daily life and tells you he is doing it out of concern and love for you, you are not blinded to the fact that this is him being bossy. Too often young girls and women get into relationships and are not aware that their partners are not only bossy but controlling. When they become aware it is often too late.

If we are serious about empowering young girls we must teach them the importance of having self-confidence and self-respect. Teach them to aim high, be ambitious and know their self-worth. Teach them that it is not what they are called but what they answer to that matters.

If we want to ban a word let it be the word that is used almost on a every day basis to put women down. It you believe when girls get into a fight on the playground they call each other “bossy” then you must be living on another planet in a different century. When school girls get into fights on the bus do you seriously think they call each other bossy? When females get into altercations in the street do you think they call each other bossy? When a man wants to put his woman down, do you think he calls her bossy?

When a girl, woman or man wants to make a female feel bad bossy is not the word they reach for. They use a word that cuts deep, a word that portrays that person as a low, worthless and despicable human being. The dictionary give various meaning to this word some of which are; the female of the dog, a lewd or immoral woman, something that is extremely difficult, objectionable, or unpleasant. If we really want to ban a word, a word that  put women down a word that does nothing to empower women, I say we save “bossy” and ban “Bitch“.