updated from January 17 2025
We have gotten far too comfortable piling girls with all the no’s in the world. No, you can’t go there. No, you can’t wear that. No, you can’t do what the boys do. No, you can’t expect everyone to make room for you. And when a girl finally hears a yes, here come the conditions. Yes, but be careful. Yes, but don’t make anybody uncomfortable. Yes, but remember what people might think. Some of these warnings come from genuine concern, but somewhere along the way, we have become better at preparing girls for disappointment than making room for their possibilities.
Girls deserve to hear yes without having to apologize for wanting something good for themselves. They deserve encouragement that doesn’t arrive already weighed down with restrictions. And sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do for a girl is simply tell her, “Yes, you can,” and mean every word.
We can decide to make it a normal everyday occurrence to protect their opportunities. Their bodies. Their health. Their safety.
