Beyonce, Victoria Beckham front campaign to ban the word 'Bossy'

"I'm not bossy, I'm the boss." - Beyonce

Beyoncé, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Garner are among the influential female figureheads who have thrown their weight behind a campaign to ban the word "bossy" being used to describe women.

Run in connection with the Girl Scouts of the USA and Leanin.org, the Ban Bossy campaign aims to promote leadership roles among young girls.

Jane Lynch, former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg have also voiced their wishes to discourage the use of the word, which they believe stops girls from expressing themselves.

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The video message states that the average girl's self-esteem drops by 3.5 times more than boys' between primary and secondary school and that by the age of 12, girls are far less interested in leading.

"I was called bossy when I was in ninth grade," Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, who launched the campaign, said.

"My teacher took my best friend Mindy aside and she said 'You shouldn't be friends with Sheryl - she's bossy'. And that hurt.

"We call (women) too aggressive or other B-words in the workplace. They're bossy as little girls, and then they're aggressive, political, shrill, too ambitious as women."

Victoria Beckham has since tweeted the following:

#banbossy Encourage girls to lead. Join me today: http://t.co/sEkVUpD0B1 x vb pic.twitter.com/sa4ZmjDIh5

Meanwhile, Glee star Jane Lynch wrote: "I would tell my 10-year-old self not to be afraid to step up and say what you think. Do not be afraid to express your opinion.

"Do not be afraid to suggest things. Do not be afraid to lead."

Beyoncé makes a surprise appearance at the end of the video, too, signing off with the poignant message: "I'm not bossy, I'm the boss."

- INDEPENDENT