Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA Anna Maria Chávez and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg have decided being called "bossy" hurts the feelings of too many young girls and causes them to seek less important roles in society.

These three powerful and successful women, along with the support of entertainer Beyoncé, recently began the "Ban Bossy" campaign to eradicate the use of this "negative" label when it comes to describing the actions of girls in relation to those around them, i.e., classmates and friends.

While these women may have the best interest of girls at heart, what they are really saying is girls are too weak to handle a minor put-down.

They seem to have forgotten the adage: "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

I say rather than curbing the use of "bossy," girls and women should embrace the term.

If a girl is called "bossy," she should accept it as a compliment, knowing someday she, too, could be secretary of state, or CEO or COO of a major company.

Her reply should be a proud, "Yes, I am," followed by "I am woman, hear me roar."

This song, written by singers Helen Reddy and Ray Burton, praises females and the internal strengths we have.

"I couldn't find any songs that said what I thought being a woman was about," Reddy told the Australian "Sunday Magazine," during a 2003 interview. "I thought about all these strong women in my family who had gotten through the Depression and world wars and drunken, abusive husbands. But there was nothing in music that reflected that."

Being called "bossy" should not discourage girls from pursuing leadership roles. Rather, it should reaffirm the fact their ability to lead is already evident and blossoming.

Traditionally, women are the primary caregivers of children, whether at home or in school. Try raising three boys (and a husband) to adulthood without being bossy. Try maintaining order in a classroom of adolescents without assuming the leadership role.

I am not saying girls or women need to be obnoxious or aggressive but they do not need to be meek or demure, either.

I would cringe whenever Kyra Sedgwick, as Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson, on the television program "The Closer" would bat her eyes and tilt her head in a Southern coquettish-style to get her own way when dealing with male superiors in the department.

Johnson was a strong, successful police officer but she also felt the need to fall back upon her "female charms."

Girls should be praised for their strengths and the ability to handle anything, even name-calling.

In any organization, someone has to take the lead and it might as well be an assertive and strong woman.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press