Don't wear a short skirt, you might get raped. Don't be a smart girl, you might get kidnapped. As crazy as these statements sound, there is more truth to them than you think. The western culture believes in educating boys and girls on an equal level. My millennial generation faces the wrath of our media attempting to shape girls into believing that if they do not achieve a certain level of appearance, then they will never obtain the man of their dreams. And oh, by the way, don't think of being first choice on that job either because your intelligence just doesn't take precedence.
Technology and social media play into the hands of young girls as they look to the "Gods of the internet" for the "go-to" look and style to gain success and power. Hold on...WAIT just a second! Why aren't girls using their intelligence to carve out a great future? I'll admit... I've never been the popular girl because I love learning. I embrace my awkwardness and find peace in the fact that I'm not the typical, thin blonde girl every guy thinks he can take. I'm smart! I'll also admit it's tough to find a guy that can have a deep conversation with me and be okay with the fact that I am the president of my non-profit organization. Last time I checked, men take up 95 percent of CEO positions in the Fortune's top 500 companies, and girls are expected to fall to their feet with admiration....
How ironic is it that I live in a culture that gives both girls and boys an equal right to education and our society does not even advocate for girls being smart. In Nigeria, where education for girls is considered a rare privilege, 234 girls between 16 and 18 years old were stolen from a school in Chibok, a small town in Borno state in northeastern Nigeria. The girls were kidnapped during a physics test. The Boko Haram group only publicly claimed responsibility on May 5, with leader Abubakar Shekau saying, "I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah."
What message does this send to these young girl's classmates as well as to girls around the world? If I lived in Nigeria, I would rather not be educated than live in fear of possibly being kidnapped. Who's to say this movement won't spread to other countries, leaving young girls with a tainted idea of being smart? Being an educated young woman is something that should be applauded around the world, instead of being punished, or in my case, being ignored.
Danger! This "Smart Girl" is here to stay!
