I Am Not Your Typical Girl

I am not your typical girl.

I love lipstick, earrings and pretty tote bags. I like to shop when I’m stressed, talk about boys when I’m bored and watch rom-coms when I’m sad. I count calories and worry about my weight. I cry at the drop of a hat, laugh heartily at jokes that aren’t that funny, and roll my eyes whenever I’m irritated. I like The Bachelor, Say Yes to the Dress and Project Runway. I’m loud, I drink caramel macchiatos from Starbucks and sometimes I talk shit about other girls. Seeing Oprah was one of the greatest moments of my life, I’m addicted to my iPhone and pink is my favorite color.

I am not your typical girl.

I love lipstick because each morning I choose a different shade and it reminds me that every day is “fresh with no mistakes in it.” I like shopping because it allows me to be solitary and introspective while still amidst a crowd of people. I talk about boys because they will always be a mystery that needs solving, I watch rom-coms because they provide an escape from my sometimes monotonous life, and I worry about my weight because my love for licorice and my family’s blood pressure problems are both out of control. I cry easily because I’m empathetic, I laugh a lot because I’m vivacious, and I roll my eyes because I’m opinionated. I like bad reality TV because, let’s be honest, seeing someone make a dress out of banana peels is undeniably entertaining. I’m loud because I want to be heard, I like Starbucks because it tastes good, and I talk shit about other girls because even though I identify as a feminist, sometimes I mess up. I love Oprah because her show was a part of my daily routine in the difficult days of high school, I’m addicted to my phone because it connects me to the people I love and I love pink because it’s just plain pretty.

I am not your typical girl.

I don’t like buying shoes, I don’t like painting my nails and I don’t like fake eyelashes. I’ve seen every episode of Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and House of Cards. I gravitate toward funny guys in plaid shirts over guys who spend a ton of time at the gym — I will always choose Jon Stewart over Channing Tatum. I write film scripts and comedy sketches, I’m good at public speaking, and I make the best sugar cookies in the whole world.

I am not your typical girl because there is no such thing. We are all bonded by the common thread of womanhood, but our individuality is undeniable. “I like you because you’re not like other girls,” is not a compliment — it is a disservice to all the wonderfully unique women around you. It’s also a disservice to yourself as your expectation for us to fall into a set of stereotypes blinds you to the interesting things we have to offer.

To all the girls who love makeup, the girls who play video games, the girls who live to party, the girls who read comic books, the girls who are athletic, the girls who are artistic, the girls who like boys, the girls who like girls and every other girl in between: I promise to always come to your defense when I hear the phrase “you’re not like other girls.” We are all the “other girls” and I think we’re all pretty awesome.