The token Scouse mum in TV shows across the country is bold, opinionated and let’s be honest, a lot of the time, a bit scruffy. It might not be the best stereotype, classiness wise, but it certainly paints us Scouse women as strong female characters, which is the one time that a stereotype couldn’t be more RIGHT. Even when the women play the doting housewife, they’re still larger than life and clearly the decision maker of the household. I’ve been surrounded by strong women my entire life, none of them housewives but ALL of them opinionated.
Until recently, I wasn’t aware just how different that is down South. I live in Essex now, and my friends down there are a world away from my friends in Liverpool. In Essex, they make me feel like a major psycho when I flip on my boyfriend for being disrespectful; but one phone call to my friends at home and I’m reassured that I’m not a crazy bunny boiler – just someone who won’t let him get away with treating me like shit. It’s a noticeable difference when I come home for summer, and my Scouse themed social media is full of quotes about being fabulous and independent. You only need to scroll through ‘Old Sassy Bird’ on twitter or ‘Sassy BirdProbs’ on Instagram to see how opinionated we are.
So what’s going on down South? Where are the strong female Mums and Aunties who pull you away at family parties and order you to ring your fella and tell him how lucky he is to have you? (“Tell him every day!” was the exact line – thanks Auntie Jan). It only hit me when my boyfriend (from Essex) told me he never realised women could be so ambitious with such strong views until he met me. SERIOUSLY. I think that statement alone speaks volumes for the amount of work that needs to be done to show these young Southern men what’s what. So, here are my three MUST KNOW tip for being a strong independent Scouse Bird.
Lads these days think they can get away with murder and call you for all sorts in an argument, PULL HIM UP ON IT. If he’s making a show of you in front of his or your friends, or just generally being disrespectful, don’t let him get away with it to save an argument. Respect is a massive thing in a relationship an if he talks that way in front of you, how do you think he talks about you when you’re not there?
You’ve got your own ambitions and career goals, make sure he knows that. You know if he had to move somewhere for his job he’d be gone in a flash, so you need to be prepared to do that to. In the end, it could all go to shit, at least you haven’t squandered your career and all that earning potential if it does.
If you know you don’t want kids until your 30, or a house in Wavertree next to your Mum and Dad, don’t hide it! That’s what you want, and you deserve to live the life you’ll be happiest in, just because he wants something else doesn’t mean you have to change your plans. There’ll be someone out there who wants exactly what you do, or at least doesn’t care enough to go along with it, and you’ll only end up unhappy if you end up in the life you didn’t want with a man that used to be pretty fit but now he’s balding an you’ve realised his jokes are shit.
Stay feisty ladies.