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I grew up with a little brother, and while there were some clear distinctions
between the two of us (I had a pink room with a little white vanity and he had
a red racecar water bed), my family never limited me.
And my being a girl was never an issue in the things that I wanted to do
when I was younger, whether that was playing with Barbie dolls, whether that
was playing with dinosaurs, or catching salamanders in our backyard.
So I remember really clearly how jarring it was the first time that my being a
girl was used as an insult to my little brother. And it didn't matter that I was
two years older or that I had a lot more experience than he did. It was clearly an
embarrassment that that poor child was being out-fished by a girl.
And what began as childish ribbing became a little bit nastier as I grew older, whether
that was classmates taking me down a few IQ points because I chose a high-feminine aesthetic,
harsh labels because of perceptions of *** activity or lack thereof,
or being told that I was a disgrace to my gender and belong back in the kitchen
because I dare to confront a sexist joke.
Because we hear these messages every day you can count me in not to make assessments
or judgments about your interests and wants based on your chromosomes. You can
count me in to fight injustice and discrimination, and to provide a safe
space if you need someone to listen.