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#bossbabesatx

When I first heard the words "boss babe," I thought it was redundant.

To me, being a "babe" means being a "boss." The word "babe" has nothing to do with conventional beauty or its antiquated functions to belittle and demean women. Despite its historical context, for some (including myself) the term has been reappropriated.

Its new definition? Well, some may say "babe" celebrates femininity. Others may say the term is used to recognize and acknowledge "real." 

For me, though, the term "babe" is more than that. It describes ALL types of women—whether that woman is feminine, masculine, straight, gay, transgender, multiracial, white, into pink, or not into pink and so on—because "babe" has become a term we have taken measures to redefine in colloquial everyday language.

We OWN it... and we'll tell you what it means.

"Babes" are the many women who have become threads in the creative fabric of my life. They impress me day-in and day-out with their dedication to life, their passions, their businesses and their loved ones.

I think of our Vendors Coordinator, Ashlee Pryor, a badass maker momma, with her own clothing line and a blossoming toddler. I think of our Art Coordinator, Leslie Lozano, a recent college grad, with a heart for anyone and anything and a clear vision for making dope things happen.

Those two? They're "babe" as fuck.

So, why #bossbabesatx? Why do we need the qualifying term "boss?"

As women in business, we are well-aware of the present state of affairs.

We face dualities in the workplace. We face Catch-22s.

For some people, if I want to call myself a "boss," I can't simultaneously call myself a "babe."

We've been trained to think those two words are mutually exclusive. We've also associated each term with differing levels of masculinity and femininity.

And we want to change that. With positivity. With proactive language. With community. With voices united for something, instead of against.

Whether you consider yourself a "boss" or a "babe," you are welcome here. This isn't a gendered experience. This isn't a series of meets and retreats about changing the meaning of two words.

This is a movement.

A movement to connect women.

A movement to support creativity and collaboration.

A movement to make the workplace a woman's place.

A movement to make any place ANY KIND OF woman's place.

A movement to prove that the words "boss" and "babe" can be one in the same.

With love,

Founder and Head of Operations at #bossbabesatx

J