Speak up in the workplace.
Don't speak up too much, you'll seem bossy.
Put on some makeup.
Actually, don't. Men prefer women with less makeup.
Cover up to avoid unwanted attention.
Don't cover up, it's offensive.
As women in 2016, the way we choose to act and appear are subjects criticized and commented upon far too often.
From the way we dress and wear our makeup to the way we act in the workplace or refer to motherhood, it seems like everyone has something to say on the matter.
To make matters worse (if it could get any worse), what's expected of us is entirely contradictory.
Last week, a woman was instructed to remove her burkini on a beach in Nice. But, just a month before, a female news presenter was labelled a 'whore' for baring her shoulders on television, by both men and women.
While an immediate reaction might be 'Society, what do you want from us?' the better response is 'Stop telling us what to do as it's none of your business.'
So, journalist and fashion illustrator Daisy Bernard has taken it into her own hands to highlight the ongoing contradictions women face on a daily basis, inspired by similar drawings by French artists LaSauvageJane.
Daisy wrote on The Tab: 'We're constantly set conflicting expectations on how to look (wear makeup but look natural) or how to behave at work (act like a lady, think like a boss) or in relationships (don't be a slut but don't be frigid).'
'Men are told to 'power dress', yet women get sent home for not wearing heels. Powerful women are spoken about in words you'd never use for men – bossy, naggy, difficult or a bitch,' she added.
'We're expected to look "feminine" – wear makeup, nice clothes, shave everything – but if we're "too high maintenance" it's off-putting,' she continued.
'There is a Beyonce lyric that sums up the two negative stereotypes of women in relationships, a psycho or a pushover: 'What's worse, being jealous or crazy? More like being walked all over lately… I'd rather be crazy.'
Crazy, jealous, covered-up, baring flesh, bossy, quiet – it's our choice what we want to do.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
