The thisgirlcan campaign launched in the Coronation St ad break, full on, unapologetic, sweat, jiggle, gurning on prime commercial TV – and it never looked so attractive. Sweating like a pig, to look like a fox struck a perfect note.
Less attractive is the backlash from a few women I follow and subsequently unfollowed on Twitter, who choose to bitch about the term girl or how it clearly wasn’t aimed at them as it wasn’t cool or as accomplished as they were.
I admit that for a while I also avoided everything ‘girl’. Despised the lazy ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach of the bike industry to women’s clothing (choice and attention to fit people!) and therefore everything pink. I was first proud to be considered one of the ‘boys’ if I wasn’t dropped on a ride. I soon got over myself, and found the perfect cure in my triathlon club.
Having the privilege to train alongside some kickass women in a club where girls rock pink, purple, blue - accessorised with sweat, mud and tears is a daily tonic. We value each others personal triumphs and treasure images of mud soaked adventures over duck face selfies.
I’ve cleansed my Twitter feed, and suggest you follow these real inspirational girls too. Here’s an
introduction http://vimeo.com/117906344.
@LucyAnneCharles
@BrinkleyAnita
@Kim_eKuiLibriuM
@Hannah_Bates
@HoddTri