Stop Telling Women to Smile

Telling someone to smile may seem like a positive suggestion but more often than not, it’s more harmful than helpful. This directive is often aimed at women, especially women of color and women in the workplace, as a way to perpetuate harmful narratives about marginalized groups. Think carefully when you tell someone to smile and if their happiness is of great concern to you, be intentional about solving the problem not just masking it with a plastic, taped on solution of a smile.