Why We Need To Stop Saying "For A Girl"

If you've ever identified as a woman, chances are you don't need BuzzFeed's latest video, "Why Saying 'For A Girl' Is Dumb," to tell you how pervasive sexist language can be — but it definitely doesn't hurt. Even in an era when feminism has more mainstream visibility than ever, most women still experience sexism on a daily basis. Often, this comes in the form of microaggressions, or everyday slights and harassment based on facets of identity like gender.

One of the most common forms of this subtle sexism is the phrase "for a girl," frequently used to express surprise that a woman has succeeded in a traditionally male-dominated field like tech or comedy. The phrase is the epitome of a backhanded compliment: In theory, it congratulates someone, but in reality, tacking on "for a girl" at the end of a compliment implies that a woman was expected to fail as the result of her gender — the implication being that it's something to overcome.

BuzzFeed's latest video tackles the phrase head-on, following the life of a female comedian as she goes about her day-to-day business. First, she does a set at a comedy club, where a man proceeds to congratulate her on being "super funny for a girl."

Later, she gets into a minor car accident with a major douchebag, but his overt misogyny is accompanied by the more subtle sexism of a bystander and cop, who both treat the woman like she's glass.

"All I know is when my wife says she's fine, it doesn't mean she's fine. It means she's kinda mad and wants to talk," the policeman insists.

Needless to say, most women would rather be treated like people than fragile, useless objects. Check out the video below:

Images: BuzzFeed Yellow/YouTube (2)