Hit Like a Girl

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"You hit like a girl"

You've probably heard this phrase before, or some variant of it. "You hit like a girl." "You run like a girl." "You throw like a girl." These phrases are common. You probably don't think much of it when you hear it. It's just a joke. But is it?

If you even think about the phrase for a couple minutes, you can see the sexism in it. Using doing something athletic or something that requires strength "like a girl" is an insult. This is an example of casual sexism that is still present in today's modern society.

When I hear this phrase and point out the sexism, sometimes I'm told that "it's not that deep," or that "it's just a joke." But these 'jokes,' as people refer to them as, are at their core harmful and inherently sexist.

These phrases reinforce the stereotype that women are weaker than men, worse at things that require athletic capabilities. Phrases such as these, which are normalized in our society can internalize the idea that men have to be strong and women are weak. These ideas create a harmful divide between genders, fitting men and women into boxes, ideas of what they should be.

What it really means to hit like a girl

While I don't deny that there are biological differences between men and women, that does not mean that women can't be strong. There are women athletes out there stronger than most men. So what can doing something like a girl actually mean?

If you "hit like a girl," maybe you hit like Claressa Shields, a boxer who has won 17 matches and lost zero, and a mixed martial artist who has only lost one match

If you "run like a girl," maybe you run like Allyson Felix, who has 20 world championship medals and 11 olympic medals

If you "throw like a girl," maybe you throw like Serena Williams, who won over 800 matches and has more than 70 titles.

Is hitting, running, or throwing like them a bad thing?

Conclusion

Casual sexism like this, the kind that goes unnoticed is incredibly dangerous. But even if we can't eradicate it completely, we can shift our viewpoint. So the next time someone tries to make fun of you by telling you "You hit like a girl," instead of brushing it off, say "Thank you."