There’s a lot of things I don’t realize I’m grateful for that my parents gave me. Recently, I’ve been thinking about how my life and imagination were never stunned with gender norms.
What I mean by that is I was never told I couldn’t do or have something because it was for boys.
The most blatant memory I have of that being in play is when I was four, I was Mulan for Halloween. When I was five, I was a Jurassic Park dinosaur. My parents encouraged me to love what I found a passion for. I could recite the names of dinosaurs without skipping a beat but I could also sing every Disney Princess song. I grew up playing with Barbies and My Little Ponies with a plastic sword at my side and a shield on my back. I watched X-Men and Justice League with my dad because I thought super heroes were cool and so did he.
I always took it for granted because I didn’t know any other way of living until I was a little older.
I think the first realization of not everyone being raise like that was when I was about six or seven. I have a cousin about a year younger than me and he did all the stereotypical rough and tough boy things. He did karate, played in the dirt, and loved video games.
But then for one of his birthdays, he asked for a Barbie. I remember my aunt and uncle being very serious about they would not buy him one. I didn’t understand what the big deal was. So, my dad and I got him that Barbie.
They were livid.
I didn’t understand how a Barbie that blew bubbles was such a big deal. I’ve realized recently it was probably the fear of him being gay.
I never truly cherished that there was no judgement from my parents.
I now know that I was given so much more than others in that respect.
So thank you Mom and Dad for always supporting me and my interests.
You helped make me the more well rounded woman I am today. I only hope that if I become a mother that I will do the same for my children.
Photos courtesy of Anna Connole and Blogspot