Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: being a strong, successful woman in the workplace is no walk in the park. You show up, do your job, and somehow—despite being incredibly competent and effective—you’re labeled. People just don’t know what to do with you. You’re too much of this, not enough of that. And, of course, the favorite: “She’s a bitch.”

You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it, and, let’s be real, every woman worth her salt has heard it. But instead of recoiling, how about we flip the script and own it?

I’ve had a complicated relationship with this word. I’ve long been terrified of being accused of being “opinionated,” “bossy,” and—my personal favorite—“Queen Bee.” In fact, I shied away from it so much in one particularly fun performance review, I was straight-up told, “You need to be more assertive, Jen!”

If only it were that easy…

I’m a nicey-nice kind of woman—by nature, I want everyone around me to be happy, fulfilled, and of course, to like me. And sure, being kind and accommodating is great, but in the real world? It doesn’t always get the job done. Sometimes, it’s downright dangerous. Like the times my “niceness” got me pushed into a corner at work. Nice doesn’t always translate into getting things done or demanding the respect you deserve. In fact, sometimes it’s just a ticket to being taken advantage of.

And that brings me to my kryptonite: the fear of being labeled “a bitch.” That fear? It’s real. It’s loud. But it’s also a little bit ridiculous, don’t you think? Because here’s the truth: being called a bitch doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong—it probably means you’re doing something right.

And guess what? I’ve learned that it’s time to stop running from it.

Take Tabatha Coffey, for example. I had the privilege of hearing her speak during a business trip, and let me tell you, I was hanging on every word. I’ve been a fan of hers for years—hell, I basically binged her show Tabatha’s Takeover when I first discovered it. She’s the perfect example of a strong woman who owns the “bitch” label. She flat-out admitted that she’s often perceived as tough or harsh in her industry, and let’s face it: in a world that wants women to be likeable and smiley, that kind of blunt, no-nonsense approach will get you labeled.

But here’s the kicker: Tabatha doesn’t apologize for it. In fact, she’s turned it into something she’s proud of. How? By facing her fears head-on. She created an acronym for the word BITCH, and I’ll be honest—it’s genius. It’s about reframing the narrative, taking that negative word, and twisting it into something that celebrates all the qualities we should be proud to embody.

BITCH stands for:

Brave
Intelligent
Tenacious
Creative
Honest

Let’s think about this for a second. Every one of these traits is something we should aspire to. Brave? Yes, please. Intelligent? You bet. Tenacious? Hell yeah. Creative? You know it. Honest? That’s the real game-changer. We should all wear these qualities like a badge of honor—and guess what? These are the very qualities that might make others uncomfortable. But that discomfort? It’s their problem, not yours.

So, next time someone calls you a bitch—whether it’s a colleague, a boss, or a friend—don’t shrink. Don’t apologize. Don’t give in. Look them square in the eyes and say, “Yes, I am. Thank you very much.” And then watch how that power shifts. Because owning your strength, your voice, your unapologetic brilliance, is what real power looks like. And believe me, once you embrace it, the label won’t sting quite as much anymore. It’ll just be a reminder of how fierce you really are.

The next time you hit a wall, feel stuck, or need a breakthrough, channel a bit of that BITCH energy. You’ve got it inside you. Trust me, we all do.

So let’s stop running from this label and start owning it. We’re not just surviving the workplace—we’re thriving in it. And if they want to call us a bitch? Well, we can say it loud and proud: We are a bitch, and we’re doing just fine.