Our favourite feminist-in-progress, Jameela Jamil has sparked an uplifting and empowering conversation on social media encouraging women to own their achievements and be proud of the obstacles they’ve overcome – and we are totally here for it!
It all started with a post on Instagram where The Good Place star responded to “a few dickhead pompous intellectuals who scoffed at the idea” of Jameela being included in an exhibition of feminists by the British Library.
“I am certainly no iconic feminist but I believe I was included in the exhibition as one to watch in feminism, not as any equivalent of history’s greatest achievers,” she explains in her post before describing her extensive work raising awareness about eating disorders and mental health and helping to change Facebook and Instagram policies to protect teenagers from dangerous diet and detox products.
“WOMEN DON’T BRAG ENOUGH,” she captions her post, referring to words used by Grey’s Anatomy writer Shonda Rhimes who is the highest paid show runner in the world.
“We don’t,” continues Jameela. “And it harms us. We wait for someone to notice our accomplishments and accept it if nobody does. Statistically this impacts the jobs and promotions we go up for and therefore get. It also definitely impacts our sense of self worth.”
She explains how proud she is of all she has achieved despite the many people who try to tear her down along the way and then asks her 3.3 million followers to “brag” about something they’re proud of too.
What follows is a beautiful exchange about achieving dreams, overcoming struggles, finding purpose and self-acceptance and creating positive, lasting change in the world.
From starting non-profit organisations to help empower teens to leaving toxic relationships, producing feature films and creating programs to change the victim-blaming culture around domestic violence – the women responding to Jameela’s post have done so much.
What also follows is a space for women to cheer each other on, instead of compete. To be proud of not just themselves, but also one another. To uplift instead of tear down.
Quite frankly, it’s a refreshing change from the comments we read under those “who wore it better?” posts. (Or almost any post about women.)
It is inspiring.
And it’s important.
And it makes you realise – if you didn’t already know – women really are f***ing incredible.
Read Jameela’s full post and the comment thread here:
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(Image credit: Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com)
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