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New #ThisGirlCan Video Brings More Inspiration to Women

The new ad campaign had the hairs on the back of our neck prickling

We’ve been a little bit in love with the #ThisGirlCan campaign since Sport England launched it in 2015 – and now they’re back with a brand new ad. 

Though the campaign has been highly acclaimed, scooping up awards left right and centre (including the TWC reader voted gong for ‘Best Women’s Cycling Initiative’) – it received minor criticisms for under-representing some minority groups as well as women over 40.

Sport England, who launched the campaign after research showed fear of ‘looking bad’ stopped women exercising, have addressed that in their brand new ad – launched today.

The 90 second video includes top level athletes, women across a broad range of races, women in their later years, women with disabilities, as well as mums. Plus a very real example of exactly how strong women can be with a glimpse of the ultimate display of strength – giving birth.

The video is set to the words of ‘Phenomenal Woman’, a poem by the late, and very great, Maya Angelou. The full poem is below, but to give you a flavour, it opens with the following powerful stanza:

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,   
The stride of my step,   
The curl of my lips.   
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,   
That’s me.
All of the things nearly all of us worry about whilst exercising: jiggling, sweating, not looking like an Instagram model with 50,000 followers using *just* the right angle – are there.

The new ad has gone down a storm, with compliments raining in from women eager to pay their respects to Sport England, who were able to make the video thanks to Lottery funding…

Here’s the full poem by Maya Angelou – just in case you needed any more inspiration to get out and get active!

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

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