It’s okay to be a “Bitch”

In fact, I encourage you to be one.

Hello everyone! welcome to the new year, and, as per usual, I have a lot to say.

This year kicked off (properly) with Netflix original season two of sex education (if you haven’t watched it yet, I highly encourage you to do so), and the character of Maeve Wiley is my absolute favourite. not just because she’s a feminist icon who enjoys Mary Wollstonecraft like I do, but because she reminds me so much of myself. The “bitch” of the year, which most people seem not to like because apparently, choosing not to deal with misogynistic bullshit, and keeping to oneself when you have been ostracised too many times by the people around you is a bad thing.

While I was in secondary school, and most of six form, I was always tagged as the “bitch” of the year, simply because I abruptly cut relations with people who were racist, prejudice and simply ignorant, and never listened when I tried to correct them. I was confrontational, not violent. If I was uncomfortable, I would make it known. If somebody else was uncomfortable, and they were not confident enough to stand up for themselves, I made that my priority. Ever since I had been bullied in earlier years, and my head of year did absolutely nothing to help the situation, I took it upon myself to stand up to these people and protect the frail. I stood up to misogynistic trash for as long as I did, even when it did not concern me. For that, I was labelled the “bitch” of the year.

Now, I’m by no means saying that it’s okay to be a “bitch” in terms of being rude, mean and a bully. The traditional use of the word is not what I am encouraging every woman to aspire to. It is important to be nice and kind to as much people as possible, as long as they recognise and respect you in the same light. However, the “bitch” that I am aspiring every woman to be is the misogynistic twist on the word, so therefore, a woman who knows her worth, a woman who takes up space, and a woman who is not afraid of confrontation when need be.

Here’s my advice: take up AS MUCH SPACE AS YOU NEED. If possible, fill up the whole damn room if you need to. Be vocal. Be confrontational if you need to be.

No longer will us women shrink ourselves into this tiny bit of space that society wants to keep us in, forcing us to stay there and work with that space and voice.

By Athena Laz

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to continue to make my voice known as much as I need to. Never feel like you need to shrink yourself or your voice, or tolerate things that make you uncomfortable, all in the name of not being labelled as the “bitch”.

If that’s the reason people want to call me a “bitch”? Oh, thank you, I’ll be a bitch all damn day.

Thank you for reading! I know it was a short one, but I definitely needed to highlight this and make this known to people. Do not shrink your voice just so you can be labelled a “nice” or “quiet” woman, especially by misogynists. let me know if you enjoyed this post by liking it. Do you agree with this post? Is there something I might have missed out? Let me know in the comments!