Let's be honest. The colloquial phrase, "like a girl," hasn't been a terribly flattering one. As a kid, it was a sneering insult that made an otherwise innocuous term sound like a four-letter word.

You hit like a girl.

You run like a girl.

You fight like a girl.

It is as if doing something "like a girl," meant that the effort was less than ideal. This brilliant video from Always was recently launched tackling this rhetoric.

 Similarly, Verizon paired up with Makers to illustrate the subtle ways in which girls and young women are discouraged from expressing their curiosity and critical thinking skills. 

Many people will contend that the necessity for gender equality has passed. There aren't any rules preventing women from becoming doctors, astronauts, mothers, teachers, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, or politicians. Some may point out statistics that show a greater percentage of women enrolling in college to illustrate that everything is going great.

Except when it comes to representation in politics. Or only 3% serving as Chief Executive Officers. Oh, what about the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields? Nope, that's not too hot either.

One would think that being a highly influential leader in a public debate would mean that the content and quality of one's arguments would be the most important factor. They are, unless you happen to demonstrate some semblance emotion. Then journalists will pose the question, "Can Hillary Cry Her Way Back into the White House?"

So let's start reclaiming what it means to do things like a girl. Young women and girls can be as passionate, critical, articulate, argumentative, competitive, and successful as they want to be. There is no shortage of desire, curiosity, or talent among today's young women. That's why we're selling our "Debate Like a Girl" shirts and donating the proceeds to the Women's Debate Institute. The funds will help cover the cost of their tuition-free debate camp for high school and college aged girls. 

The shirts also give you the opportunity to start discussing the power and potential of young women in forensics and debate. Though it isn't perfect, this activity celebrates the accomplishments, intelligence, passion, charisma, and efforts of a diverse community of individuals. If someone asks you what it means to "Debate like a girl," you have your answer. 

Debating like a girl means using passion, critical thinking, logic, and strategy. How else would they do it?  

For a limited time only, we're selling "Debate Like a Girl" t-shirts and donating the proceeds to the Women's Debate Institute.

The WDI hosts a tuition-free summer camp for young women in high school and college who are interested in debate. If we sell at least 100 t-shirts, it will help to cover the cost of two campers, but we'd love to sell even more! We're taking pre-orders until July 16th and the shirts will begin shipping around August 4th.

We'll update our progress bar once a day. Help us move that bar across the screen by purchasing a shirt and spreading the word to coaches, teammates, and alumni!

We appreciate your interest in purchasing oral interp scripts from SpeechGeek Market! We know that state and national forensic organizations have different requirements for literature used in competition. In order to make your search for qualified scripts easier, we've compiled the following information.

VENDORS

There are four different publishers in SpeechGeek Market: SpeechGeek, Mushroom Cloud Press, Tibetan Treefrog Publishing, and the forthcoming (extra)ordinary, (un)usual series from author Pete Malicki.

ORDERING

Most scripts available in SpeechGeek Market are available in digital and print copies. The base price listed is a digital PDF copy of the script. Once you complete your online order, you will receive an e-mail confirmation from the store and a notification e-mail from FetchApp. The notification e-mail will contain a link that will take you to the page where you can download your file. The link will be active for two months or fifteen downloads, but we will be happy to reactivate your link should you need to re-download your purchase.

For a small fee, you can choose the "Digital + Print" option when ordering. Simply click the drop down menu to select this option.

Your print copy will ship within 48-72 hours of your order confirmation. At this time, there is no "Print Only" option for the scripts in our store.

DIGITAL SCRIPTS

Digital scripts from SpeechGeek and Mushroom Cloud Press are approved for competition by the National Speech and Debate Association. Your digital download will come with a username and password to access the digital copies. Please do not distribute this information to other people or programs, as it is intended for qualification verification purposes. If you should lose the information, just contact SpeechGeek Market with your order number.

DISTRIBUTION

When you purchase scripts from SpeechGeek Market, you're able to download the files to your computer and print copies as needed. Please do not post copies of the script on publicly accessible websites or servers. We have found that while some schools may have such servers available to staff and students, a quick internet search allows people free access to materials they haven't purchased. Preventing unauthorized distribution of scripts allows publishers to continue to create new content for folks to enjoy! have any questions, feel free to contact us.

ISBNs

Have no fear! The publication sold within the SpeechGeek Market contain ISBNs! Check the list below for the issue you may need.

MUSHROOM CLOUD PRESS

Clyde Hendrickson Vol. 1
ISBN 978-0-9844878-1-3

Clyde Hendrickson Vol. 2
ISBN 978-0-9844878-2-0

Drama Vol. 1
ISBN 978-0-9844878-6-8

Drama Vol. 2
ISBN 978-0-9844878-7-5

Humor Vol. 1
ISBN 978-0-9844878-3-7

Humor Vol. 2
ISBN 978-0-9844878-4-4

Humor Vol. 3
ISBN 978-0-9844878-5-1

Humor Vol. 4
ISBN 978-0-9844878-8-2

SPEECHGEEK

SpeechGeek Season One: Fall 2003

978-1-61387-000-6

SpeechGeek Season Two: Winter 2005

978-1-61387-002-0

SpeechGeek Season Three: Fall 2005

978-1-61387-004-4

SpeechGeek Season Three: Winter 2006

978-1-61387-005-1

SpeechGeek Season Three: Spring 2006

978-1-61387-006-8

SpeechGeek Season Four: Fall 2006

978-1-61387-008-2

SpeechGeek Season Four: Winter 2007

978-1-61387-009-9

SpeechGeek Season Four: Spring 2007

978-1-61387-010-5

SpeechGeek Season Four: Nationals 2007

978-1-61387-011-2

SpeechGeek Season Five: Fall 2007

978-1-61387-012-9

SpeechGeek Season Five: Winter 2008

978-1-61387-013-6

SpeechGeek Season Five: Spring 2008

978-1-61387-014-3

SpeechGeek Season Five: Nationals 2008

978-1-61387-015-0

SpeechGeek Season Five: Anniversary

978-1-61387-016-7

SpeechGeek Season Six: Fall 2008

978-1-61387-017-4

SpeechGeek Season Six: Winter 2009

978-1-61387-018-1

SpeechGeek Season Six: Spring 2009

978-1-61387-019-8

SpeechGeek Season Six: Nationals 2009

978-1-61387-020-4

SpeechGeek Season Seven: Fall 2009

978-1-61387-021-1

SpeechGeek Season Seven: Winter 2010

978-1-61387-022-8

SpeechGeek Season Seven: Spring 2010

978-1-61387-023-5

SpeechGeek Season Seven: Nationals 2010

978-1-61387-024-2

SpeechGeek Season Eight: Fall 2010

978-1-61387-025-9

SpeechGeek Season Eight: Winter 2011

978-1-61387-026-6

SpeechGeek Season Nine: Fall 2011

978-1-61387-027-3

SpeechGeek Season Nine: Winter 2012

978-1-61387-028-0

SpeechGeek Season Ten: Fall 2012

978-1-61387-038-9

SpeechGeek Season Ten: Winter 2013

978-1-61387-039-6

SpeechGeek Season Ten: Anniversary

978-1-61387-042-6

SpeechGeek Presents: Female/Female Duos, Vol. 1

978-1-61387-029-7

SpeechGeek Presents: Female/Female Duos, Vol. 2

978-1-61387-032-7

SpeechGeek Presents: Female/Female Duos, Vol. 3

978-1-61387-033-4

SpeechGeek Presents: Female/Female Duos, Vol. 4

ISBN: 978-1-61387-047-1

SpeechGeek Presents: H.I.-larious, Vol. 1

ISBN: 978-1-61387-043-3

SpeechGeek Presents: H.I.-larious, Vol. 2

ISBN: 978-1-61387-044-0

TIBETAN TREEFROG PUBLISHING

Book One
ISBN: 978-1-61387-049-5

Book Two
ISBN: 978-1-61387-050-1

Book Three
ISBN: 978-1-61387-052-5

Book Four
ISBN: 978-1-61387-051-8

Book Five
ISBN: 978-1-61387-053-2

Book Six
ISBN: 978-1-61387-054-9

Book Seven
ISBN: 978-1-61387-055-6

Book Eight
ISBN: 978-1-61387-056-3

Book Nine
ISBN: 978-1-61387-057-0

Book Ten
ISBN: 978-1-61387-058-7

Book Eleven
ISBN: 978-1-61387-059-4

Kansas City will be "a world of pure forensication" this Sunday. We'll be at the Vendor Expo selling digital and print copies of our interp scripts at a special price. We'll also be giving away tons of stuff like the cup Sir William H. Wonka is holding, vinyl stickers, and these really cool pens that double as a stylus for your touch screen devices. That's some Inspector Gadget type stuff and they're free to those who visit our booth (and ideally buy some stuff)! 

(We're also setting up a Square card reader at the expo! So if you (student, coach, or parent) are interested in purchasing interp materials but don't want to carry a lot of cash, you'll be able to swipe your card at the table and have your receipt sent via e-mail or text message. We'll collect your e-mail address and have your digital files sent before the tournament is finished. You'll be ready for the new season before this one even ends. How cool is that?)

BUT WAIT -- THERE'S MORE!

We've made ultra-rare "Speech Meme" buttons that we're only giving out to SpeechGeek fans at the NSDA Vendor Expo who join us on social media.  It's pretty easy, but you have to do a few things:

1). Find the SpeechGeek table at the Vendor Expo on Sunday.

2). Using your smart phone (or a print out, if you don't have one) show us that you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr.

3). Make a post containing the hashtags #SpeechGeek AND #Nats14. It won't count if you don't have both. Even something as simple as, "Excited to see #SpeechGeek here at #Nats14!" or "Going to grab some free stuff from #SpeechGeek at #Nats14," or "Yay! #SpeechGeek #Nats14" will do.

You can make your posts now through the end of the expo. One button per person. Quantities are limited. If you can't make it to the National Tournament, don't worry! There will be other chances to get the buttons in the future.

When you're preparing a humongous, totally momentous competition - there are things you like to do to get in the mood. Get all of your clothes lined up, create the perfect playlist, Facebook everyone you know who will be there, maybe...actually...uh...practice or something. Or whatever. As for me, I'm all about the movies.

Sure, some folks like the sports films. It makes sense. Competition, struggle, winning...hoo-ray...that hits the spot. Maybe you're tired of watching The Karate Kid, Rudy, Remember the Titans, Bring It On, Stomp the Yard, Happy Gilmore, or any of those other films featuring feats of athleticism. No hate...no hate...but, eh...we've been there before.

That's why I downloaded The Lego Movie as soon as it came out this week.

Now, if you're one of those "Blah blah animated movies are for little kids" folks, then you can go find another party to poop on. Plenty of people LOVED The Lego Movie. Seriously, it's worth a viewing.

If you've already seen the movie, you may be scrunching up your face like, "Whaaaat? Pffft. How is that even related to forensics?" Well unscrunch your face, cynic. I'm about to get on the S.S. Explainer and take you on a trip to This-Is-Whyville.

Emmett (voiced by the deeeelightful Chris Pratt) is an average guy who happily follows the rules and gets overlooked by those around him. When he stumbles upon the piece of resistance -- the key to thwarting the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) -- he is considered "The Special" master builder who will save the world. The only problem is that unlike the master builders who can assemble anything they can grab into anything they can imagine - Emmett only knows how to get things done by following for the rules. When he does have an idea, it is generally laughed at.

Those who have seen the movie know there's a 'twist,' but I'm not going to spoil that for you.

I will say that there is a lesson regarding the idea of following a formula versus embracing one's own quirky and creative ideas. In forensics, there are rules that we have to follow: time limits, literature choices, quoting sources. But then there are tons of unwritten rules that we think we have to follow. When you watch videos of previous champions and finalists, you begin to break down those performances as instructions for success. "This is what you have to do to be successful, because this is what these successful people have done." And yes, in a way, there are great lessons to be learned in the process.

But blindly following the instructions to make something "look the way everyone else thinks it should look," as the movie points out, isn't all that it is cracked up to be. Slowly but surely, you're erasing the little parts of you that don't look like everyone else. It's like making a sandwich without including a special sauce. Your ideas, your passion, your connection to your speech, you are the special sauce. Without the special sauce, there's nothing unique about your performance.

The Lego Movie is a celebration of creativity and individuality. Pragmatically, you can't just waltz into a round, do whatever you want, and expect to win. With forensics competition, you'll have to make some concessions and adjustments so audience members and judges understand what you're trying to say. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the unique and creative ideas you bring to the table.

No one else thinks the way you do. No one laughs like you, or feels the exact same way as you. Ten people could do the same piece, but you can bring your own special sauce to make it your own flavor. Maybe the judge won't appreciate your flavor. So what. That's life. There will be people in your life who may not appreciate what you can do. But there will be other people who love what you do, who would stockpile crates of your special sauce.

Those people in the videos? The finalists and champions that inspire you? They got there because they brought some unique part of themselves into the round. Sometimes we get lucky and get judges and audiences that just so happen to appreciate our sauce at that moment. That's how you become legendary. That's how you become the inspiration - to hundreds of people on the final stage or dozens of people in your regular rounds. That's the whole point of this activity. To get together, share ideas, perform for each other, and genuinely celebrate how wonderful it is that we're all so weird, smart, and creative.

If you get a chance, watch The Lego Movie. Hopefully you'll be amused, if not inspired. Here's to building something amazing for the national tournament.