This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StrengthHasNoGender #CBias

Strength Has No Gender™

“Women and girls can do anything. And all of us, everywhere, should have the chance to prove that” In honor of Women’s History Month in March, the Brawny® man is stepping aside and will be replaced by the Brawny® woman on the Pick-a-Size 8 Giant Plus packs to show that Strength Has No Gender™. The Strength Has No Gender™ campaign highlights the inspirational stories of women across America who show that strength truly does not discriminate.There are women who break down gender barriers and women who empower others through their strength. Today, I’ve teamed up with Brawny® for the #StrengthHasNoGender campaign to bring you my real life SHEro story.

What is a SHEro?

A courageous, strong, selfless and resilient woman. A woman thriving in a male dominated world.

There’s no escaping the fact that men outnumber women in the bus driving world. But more and more women are proving it’s a job they’re great at. I am starting to see more and more female bus drivers behind the wheel of a school bus. Sure, the title of school bus driver isn’t exactly the sexiest one out there. When my friend came to me 8 years ago and told me I should go to the bus driving training class I laughed in her face. When I was younger, I’ve always thought of bus drivers as cranky, old men. Not a girl in her 20’s. But because of the hours and having two small kids I decided to go for it. It didn’t take me long to figure out that school bus drivers in general, especially women, don’t get a whole lot of respect. Maybe people think that it’s a job we get because we don’t have a degree. Maybe people think it’s easy.

School bus drivers are a special breed of a person, to say the least. One needs patience, understanding, and a little bit of insanity. We get yelled at, honked at, and our STOP sign gets passed more times than we can count. I believe people often forget that we carry THEIR children. As a Bus Driver, I am responsible for every child who gets on and off my bus. Motorists who are impatient and make irresponsible and often dangerous moves in an attempt to “race the bus” put theirs as well as other people’s children’s lives at stake.

Getting a CDL takes a while. It’s a lot to learn and tests have to be passed. Not just tests on how to drive a bus and keep passengers safe but also a test about the mechanical parts of a bus. Then there is training as well. Driving a school bus is not something just anyone can do. Believe me, it’s not all about driving the 40-foot long, 12-ton vehicle and opening and shutting the door. Operating a motor vehicle in a city is not a very unusual task for most people. But just imagine transporting 100’s of students every day through busy roads, neighborhoods, and crazy weather under extreme pressure to keep to a strict schedule, knowing that the slightest accident could result in injury to a child and jeopardize your job. Because we carry such important cargo, school bus drivers must be the most highly trained, tested and scrutinized drivers on the road today.

This is How I Roll

Everyday I deal with children who will not stay seated, who are rude, who get into fights with each other, and who constantly eat and drink on the bus – leaving the trash all over the floor of the bus. And germs…lets just talk about the germs. I am constantly cleaning the bus to try my best to keep all the germs away. Needless to say I go through a lot of paper towels on the bus. I was shopping at Wal-Mart to replenish my paper towel supply and I was so happy to see the new packaging of Brawny® Pick-a-Size 8 Giant Plus, which is exclusive to Wal-Mart, has hit the shelves.

My first impression was that this limited-edition Strength Has No Gender™ pack is full of sass! I like it!

If you haven’t had the chance to check out the woman on the Brawny® Pick-a-Size 8 Giant Plus pack yet, be sure to check it out at your local Wal-Mart! As a bus driver, I find comfort in knowing that Brawny® Paper Towels offer more sheets on every roll (vs. leading national brand comparable roll and sheet size) and help you clean up whatever life throws at you!

GIRLS INC. PARTNERSHIP MODULE SHEROES OF TOMORROW: Brawny® will donate a $100K and, will also give your SHEro stories to Girls Inc. to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Let’s shape a better future and prove #StrengthHasNoGender

So, do you have a personal story about being a strong woman in a male-dominated world? Not all heroes are a “he.” It’s time to recognize strong women and hear your stories. This Women’s History Month, let’s hear your SHEro story! Make sure to check out the  Brawny® Strength Has No Gender Page And don’t forget to share on social media with #StrengthHasNoGender and tell your friends to do the same!