Éire Literature

I was sitting in a packed auditorium at my college, surrounded by students my age, all of us engaged with the speaker in front of us. She spoke of the horrible things she endured in her life and how this led to her becoming an activist as well as writing the book that brought us all there in the first place. Most of us were there because it was a requirement for first-years, but I was more intrigued than I expected. She looked elegant yet strong, which gained my admiration. I thought she seemed like a powerful and brave young woman who was using her platform for good until she said the phrase so many have repeatedly said: “I’m a wife, a sister, and a mother.”

I’m not sure why, but this phrase has always made my blood boil. Her speech radiated with female empowerment, yet she still said this. I’m not sure when this piece of language first came about, but I’ve been hearing it for as long as I can remember. Why is this phrase mostly spoken by and about women? It’s not common to hear a man saying that he’s ‘a father’ or ‘a son’ when sharing his knowledge or experiences. It diminishes the self assurance of the women speaking because if you can’t accredit your experiences simply by saying ‘I’m someone’ then what credibility do you have?

So many preach self-confidence and individuality, but this phrase doesn’t reflect it at all. Why are we so accustomed to proving ourselves by sharing our traditional roles instead of the traits we bear? If a soldier were explaining his experience in battle, would he end it by saying that he’s talented because he’s ‘a father’ or ‘a brother’? No, most likely he would share the wars he’s endured or the training he’s overcome to make him so strong. Family is important to everyone, but this saying only reflects who we are to others rather than who we are to ourselves. 

I’ve started to see the comment ‘She’s Someone’ circling on different social media platforms. Instead of writing a strongly worded paragraph out of anger towards a video usually depicting this phrase, they simply type ‘She’s Someone.’ We shouldn’t have to explain any more than these two simple words. All of the women in this world who have accomplished incredible things deserve to be more than just a daughter or a wife. They should be remembered by their actions and achievements simply because they are someone.