Social media has done a great job at shining the spotlight on people’s unjust and all
around bad behaviors. In many cases, the spotlight has influenced entire movements
that attract the support of hundreds of thousands of people who share in the
experience. One of the most discussed movements today happens to be the #MeToo
movement, where women began taking a stand and fighting back against sexual
harassment and sexual assault that unfortunately many women are subject to.
As a woman, I can unfortunately say I’ve experienced sexual harassment, and I can
also unfortunately say that I still notice a lot of problematic “boys will be boys” teachings
young girls are fed to excuse the boys’ bad behavior and how they interacted with
females. When these behaviors are excused instead of corrected as young boys, that
leaves the potential for them to grow into men who don’t understand how to value and
respect women.
As young girls, it is important to be mindful of certain behaviors and attitudes that are
held when it comes to interactions between the opposite sexes. It’s time to put an end to
the excuses and start teaching better behaviors. When you know better, you do better.
Excuse #1: He’s only doing it because he likes you
When I was a little girl and little boys would hit, shove, and kick, kick the girls, it seemed
every adult followed the same script and would say “he’s only doing that because he
likes you.”
Yes! Adults are actually teaching young girls that physical abuse is normal and okay
because that just means he likes you.
This can’t continue to be normalized to where young girls that hold this belief grow to be
young women who associate abuse with affection.
Excuse #2: It’s natural for boys to be curious and desiring of girls’ bodies
Sure. But boys also need to be taught boundaries, that girls are more than their bodies,
and curiosity or desire doesn’t mean it’s ok to touch or comment on a female’s body.
Excuse #3: Boys only have one thing on their mind
I notice this common belief excuses a lot of inappropriate sexual statements, with the
advice to just ignore them often being taught to girls. Encourage boys to express more
of other things on their mind (yes, they do think of other things), and if their minds
happen to be on sex, that may be an opportunity to teach when it’s best not to speak
your mind, especially if your thoughts are disrespectful.