Here’s how Rowan Blanchard responded when people kept telling her to smile

At fourteen years old, Rowan Blanchard is already a feminist powerhouse. The star of Girl Meets World has taught us a lot about white feminism and standing up for yourself when you’re asked sexist questions. She’s also just an awesome teen, so of course we love following her everyday life on social media platforms like Instagram. We love it even more, however, when she uses it as a way to keep spreading her feminist message.

A few days ago, she posted this photo on the picture-sharing app:

We feel that. Women being told to smile is so unfortunately common, and reinforces the stereotype that they always have to be upbeat and submissive. But Blanchard is having none of that. She followed this post with a bunch of great smile-free selfies that prove women can do whatever they want.

Women don’t have to smile if they don’t want to, and not smiling doesn’t mean that they’re angry. Sometimes, it just means we have a super awesome pout that makes us feel sassy and powerful.

The point is, anyone should be free to express themselves however they want. If you want to smile in a photo, go for it! If you want to put your hand on your hip and give a death stare, go for it! There’s no wrong way to selfie as long as you feel comfortable and confident.

(Image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com)