Why Not Me?

by Mindy Kaling

I’m not proud of it, and it’s a little embarrassing to write, but sometimes you like the idea of someone so much, you just want to do whatever it takes to make it work.

A general assumption about confidence is that women, particularly young women, will have very little of it, and girls will have zero of it. Just the attitude alone makes me sad: “We have to help our girls and teach them to be confident.” Well, guess what, young girls. You aren’t damsels in distress. You aren’t hostages to the words of your peers. You aren’t the victims that even your well-meaning teachers and advocates think you are.