My mom always knew. I don’t think it really occured to me that there was any other way for me to exist, except in a constant state of “Girls RULE!” I remember being in the first grade, and we had to fill in some workbook exercise about the Gingerbread Man. I got in trouble because I crossed out the word “Man” on each instance of his name, and wrote “Girl” over it in my shaky print. I was adamant that there should be a Gingerbread Girl too, because why should men have all the fun? My mom knew I was rebellious – I just couldn’t logically see any reason why girls couldn’t be just as great as boys.
My mom always knew I’d be a feminist. When I was 5, my favorite album was Cyndi Lauper’s “She’s So Unusual”. I used to put on frilly skirts and costume jewelery and lipstick and run around the house singing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. I wanted to dye my hair every color and wear all of her outfits and be a total badass. It wasn’t even a question of how women are viewed in the music industry for me back then (I mean, I was 5). I just saw an amazing, strong, loud woman, and I wanted to be just like her.
My mom always knew I’d question the patriarchy. In high school I was very religious (Texas, y’all!) and I used to lead my school’s Monday morning prayer group. I came home upset one morning because the group had decided that I shouldn’t lead anymore because I was a girl. I was devastated, and she understood. Even though we grew up Catholic, where women weren’t supposed to lead, she supported me and helped me understand that these people just didn’t get it. I was so confused, because well, why shouldn’t I lead? What’s wrong with a girl leading? It just didn’t make sense to me.
My mom always knew I was interested in social justice. Her 17-year-old daughter begging her to let her take the car out to Alcon protests and Food Not Bombs rallies, to go feed the homeless in downtown Ft. Worth and hand out blankets. I just thought it was the right thing to do, why shouldn’t everyone get an equal chance and a little help when they need it?
My mom always knew I was a riot grrrl. She always knew I wanted better for the world. She always knew I wanted equality, for all people. She raised me to believe in these things, and I don’t think I ever really thought of any of them as anything but normal, common sense philosophies.
I don’t think she knew I was such a huge nerd. But then again, she probably did.
~ Alice
