The Year of &Powerment

Venus are naming 2015 the year of &Powerment, as they are encouraging women to embrace their ‘&’ and step out from behind the label.

Their YouTube clip explains it all…

http://youtu.be/VFEaj2rNknU

They’ve carried out some studies that show that stereotyping starts as young as 10 years old, and can limit potential and lead to a lack of confidence. And apparently us British women are the most likely worldwide to be affected by stereotypes.

Interesting. I wrote a post a few weeks ago, ‘So Who Are You?‘ where I thought about what defines me, and all that I can still be. This campaign puts me in mind of that, as I think our biggest ‘labellers’ are ourselves. I think we limit ourselves, tell ourselves we are this and aren’t that, yet we’re the ones living the life and know we’re so much more. Yes, others compound the problem, but I think breaking free of them has to start with us, we must tell ourselves that ‘we are more’.

I want my children to grow up knowing that they are more, more than the labels applied to them, more than the ones that they impose upon themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think having a label is always a bad or derogatory thing. If they end up being ‘the clever one’, ‘the friendly one’, ‘the creative one’ and so on, well, that’s just lovely. As long as they know about the ‘and’. Yes, be that person, but be so much more, and always remember it. No one talent, moment, skill or physical feature can define a person, and I want them to recognise and understand this. They can be so many things, so I’d want them to go beyond the label ‘and’ offer something else. I do hope that I can help them to do this as they grow up.

As a part of this campaign, I do have 2 Venus Satin Care gift sets to give-away to 2 of my readers, too. The set comprises of a Venus razor with a spare blade and shaving gel, all in a little carry case. To be in with a chance of winning one of them, please use the rafflecopter below and answer the question. Give-away is open to UK entrants only, closes at midnight 24th March 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think? Have you ever felt ‘labelled’?

Disclosure: Written in collaboration with Venus

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111 thoughts on “The Year of &Powerment”

  1. This campaign is very much worthwhile,if it makes a difference, what wonderful place the world would be.No more feelings of self loathing or feeling that you have no value in life,everyone has a value and can contribute so much,you just have to make them believe.xx

  2. Yes, because I am overweight. I do not have health problems and do not take up time at the doctors BUT
    apparently overweight people all have diabetes and take up all NHS resources – HOW UNTRUE

  3. Natalie Rowlands

    I have felt labeled in a negative way through life but this gave me the determination to be the best I could be

  4. I fully support the campaign as being labelled can be very damaging. I don’t feel labelled now, but did when I was a teenager.

  5. All the time! I think it’s especially hard now for teenage girls…I wouldn’t want to be that age again for anything

  6. I was a ‘weird kid’ at school, but I was okay with that, as I knew it had the most illogical source – for some reason, my schoolmates thought reading was the most bizarre hobby a child could have. Thankfully, there’s been a resurgence in young people reading in recent years – hopefully nobody has to grow up with the bizarre and senseless stigma of being ‘weird’ for loving books any more!

  7. Yes, I had my daughter when I was 19 and felt like I was treated as a silly gymslip mum by health professionals and other mothers.

  8. Absolutely yes! Society labels all of us on class, Education, how we dress, the weaker sex so on and so on

  9. I feel labelled a lot – and even the labels I embrace can sometimes feel very restrictive. (At work especially; I’m often the token young person, young woman, or simply woman, and I find that I tend to be very aware that there seems to be an expectation of what that means you should comment on – education, youth issues, childcare, etc…)

  10. Kaci Soderstrom

    You’re labelled for everything these days.. it’s awful. Yes, I’ve felt labelled a lot too. Great campaign though.

  11. Love the campaign! …Every now and then one of these brands really does get something together that resonates with a generation.
    AND is one of the most important words in open, acceptance communication. It’s the word that keeps the conversation alive and allows you to express your own opinion without quenching someone else’s. I’d never thought about applying it to the labels I’ve put; or accepted from others on myself!
    Great post Jocelyn

  12. Yes at school because I was not a happy child so was bullied & as an adult as I have been widowed twice. But the worst was the discrimination I faced at my last job as I was part time (6 hours a day as opposed to 7 hours!).

  13. Its a great campaign. I have felt labelled many times. Firstly as a teenage mum, then as a single mum on benefits. Plus i have mental health problems and am overweight so that can make people look at me differently sometimes and make assumptions.

  14. As someone who dresses ‘alternatively’ yes, I do often feel labelled. Any campaign to open minds is good in my opinion.

  15. think its a great campaign to look past ‘labels’ and see people as people and for who they are without any labels! i was a young mum (19 when my son was born) so feel i was labelled then about it all – silly little girl and teen parent and everything that comes with it – but ive grown up with my son and wouldnt change him for anything x

  16. i would imagine i did, im on the larger side and people presume that im a jobless slob, what they dont realise is im a full tiem team leader thqat likes her food lol.

  17. I’ve always felt labelled as I’ve always been over weight – people treat you as though you are stupid!

  18. I really like the campaign and I feel like a lot of women do get labelled and made to feel as though they have to comply with certain female ideals

  19. I think everybody gets labelled by society quite early in life. It’s up to the individual to rise above it.

  20. Yes I have felt labelled because I am a vegetarian and people think that just because we choose not to eat meat or fish we are faddy with food which just is not true!

  21. Of course but it’s never bothered me, I’ve never cared what people think, even as a teenager I just did my own thing. I’m not good with authority and everything’s on my terms, I’m a difficult person to live with, ask my husband! 🙂

  22. I guess I was as a child and teenager, I have a disability, some people may give me a label for that, some people like to label people. Good job I’m not interested in ‘some people’.

  23. I think it’s a great campaign, yeah i have been labelled and im so scared about my children been labelled and if they can be strong enough to ignore it and be themselves

  24. yes at school and ever since.depends how it affects you and how bad.it can damage your self confidence for the rest of your life and outlook too

  25. I think Labelled may not be the right word but ive always been known as “fat” or “large” and have tried to avoid my boys having the same problems

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