Ban Bossy - I'm Not Bossy. I'm the Boss - (2014) :1:20 (USA)

Condoleezza Rice, Jane Lynch and a horde of celebrities appear in this Lifetime PSA to Ban bossy. Beyoncé joins in via satellite from her bathroom judging by the echoing sound of it. We've come a long way from the reclaiming words 90s, baby, when "opinionated" as a woman meant you were a "bitch". These days we're all equal opportunity "haters" when we opine. So while men and young boys are "assertive" young women are called "bossy". Or so they say. I do believe that language is a powerful tool in the world of perception and equality, so I fully understand where this is coming from. However, I'm disappointed that it has turned out to be yet another female celebrity talking head mashup. If we are to lead by example, ladies, a little less of the half-naked Beyoncé and a few more Ms Rice would set a better example. I'm also not convinced that the first and second wavers aren't rolling their eyes or in their graves right now. Ban bossy? When Greer wanted to embrace the C-word (pt 2). Our daughters do live in a world full of twats and pricks who aren't going to sugar-coat their lives with a soft-balling vocabulary, no matter how many female celebrities ask them pretty please to ban bossy. How about we arm our daughters with sass and smarts to defend themselves instead?

There's so much more potential in this, as the celebs are people of caliber. Jennifer Garner, for example, isn't just a pretty face and actress, she's lobbied for law changes to protect children from the paparazzi's dangerous stalking habits. The choddy edit is wasting all this potential and watering the activism down to "meh". It doesn't help at all that the image I am greeted with at the Ban Bossy Web Site shows an assertive little pop starlet in the making. There's never been a lack of women dancing and singing for entertainment in the history of mankind, ladies. That has in fact been the traditional place where a woman's (loud) voice was accepted, and is therefore quite the turnoff when visiting this site. Maybe she'll even grow up to marry a guy who raps "I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one".

Client: Lean In "Ban Bossy"