These nontraditional womanly characteristics of mine have had both positive and negative effects. In my personal life, my friends know that I will always have their back, even if that means standing up to a 6ft burley man being disrespectful. My family to this day, and I’m sure forever, will battle me regarding my complete disinterest in dresses or anything society deems as a norm for young girls (make-up, heels, purses, dresses and the list continues).
Professionally, because I have chosen athletics as a career, my nontraditional self bodes well (again I am in a male-dominated industry). When I get to work and I can talk sports as good as the next guy, drive a golf ball further than some men; my personality shines. But what hurts me professionally, is regardless of what field I am in, society has expectations for how a professional women should act and dress. Thankfully, being a nontraditional woman I am not afraid to pave a new way. I could accept that women in the business world according to society should wear heels to work, but my confidence in who I am as a person motivates me everyday to choose sneakers instead.