Girl Power, Interrupted

“Happy International Women’s Day, everyone!”

As we all fired up our computers and settled in to work this morning, we were reminded by my colleague that it was International Women’s Day.

In 2001, the Oxford English Dictionary added the term girl power, defining this phrase as: “Power exercised by girls; spec. a self-reliant attitude among girls and young women manifested in ambition, assertiveness, and individualism.”

We were celebrating! There was a chorus of empowered ladies around the office:

“We can do anything!”

“We are fabulous!”

“We need to play Spice Girls!”

“Yeah, girl power!”

Then someone said what we were all thinking: “We need to eat something, to celebrate.”

With impeccable timing, my work colleague squealed (no other word for it) and jumped up from her chair, “Look out!!”

I leapt from my chair to see what she was pointing at, fearing it was a snake or some kind of ridiculously dangerous reptile: “What is it? Where is it?”

She squealed again and pointed: “There! A cockroach! It’s huge!”

Squeals all around the office as women jumped up from their chairs: “Cockroach! Gross! Get it out!!”

And the clincher on this esteemed day: “Help! Somebody catch this cockroach! We need a man!!”

Oh dear.

Happy International Women’s Day, ladies.

We’re ambitious. We’re assertive. We’re individuals. We’re… afraid of cockroaches.

Girl Power!