Through the eyes of a woman
By
Isabela Aznar
English
Mr.
Block
9-20-11
The
painting of a strange man with beautiful eyes looked down at me in my living
room, but the eyes on his face were not his own. He had the eyes of a woman
with long thick eyelashes, and glittering shadows on his eyelids. These eyes
were clearly not his own as they were too large for his face, and they looked
like they had been cut out of a magazine and glued over his own eyes. The rest
of the painting looked like any ordinary photo of a man. His lips were calmly
shut and expressionless, he wore a suit and had slicked back hair, the only
unusual things about him were his beautiful eyes. This was the first time I had
ever truly looked at this painting of the man with longing, feminine eyes that
had been in my house for years. I now saw this painting through a new
perspective; the man was trying to hide his feminine side. He like any other
man, had emotions and another side to him that might be associated with women
if he showed it. I was intrigued by this idea, and that’s what got me thinking.
I
started thinking about the things I’d always been too afraid to do, because
boys were considered better at them. I would never play four-square after
school because only the guys could play, and if a girl played she had to be a
tom boy, she had to be good, and she had to act just like the guys playing.
They didn’t welcome new comers, especially not if they were girls. I always
avoided sports games because my dad and brother already knew what all the rules
were, but I being curious and a little timid didn’t want to have to experience
the whole “learning how to do it like a guy” routine, because I wanted to watch
or play sports my own way, and not be treated differently because of it.
When I was in eighth grade, I decided that I was
sick of boy and girl stereotypes. I was sick of doing the things that girls
were expected to do, and finally wanted to try something that “only guys” could
do. I believed strongly that people should be allowed to be themselves, whether
or not they’re following what’s
considered normal, acceptable, or stereotypical. I decided that I wanted to be
the one to change the possibilities different genders were offered, but I was
still keeping in mind open to the fact that I couldn’t just expect everyone to
begin changing their habits, and doing things they’d always wanted to, but
never tried before.
I decided that I'd start with myself, and with
sports. I didn’t want to be on the softball team, because I thought it was
demeaning that sports had to be modified for girls. I wanted to be challenged
just as much as any boy, and I wanted to prove to my guy friends that I too
could play baseball, the “rougher” version of the sport.
I
explained my interest in trying out for the team to my best friend, and she
nodded sympathetically agreeing with me that it was unfair and saying that she
too would love to do baseball. We decided to talk to one of the two principles
at my school, Teacher Ed. Teacher Ed was a small, strict man and when I saw him
scurry into my study hall room I decided to seize my opportunity.
“Teacher Ed, I was wondering if it was possible
for Emmi and I to join the boys baseball team bec-” I didn’t even get to finish
my sentence before he cut in and said “No” in his sharp voice. I tried again “I
want to play on the boys baseball team because there’s different rules, and the
balls are smaller and harder, also overall I feel like I'd be more challenged”
I said confidently, but this time he just laughed “No, just play softball” he
said walking out of the room. I sat there frustrated, and disappointed as I
watched him walk back to his office, thinking that I’d take his word as the
final one on the subject, but he should have known better than to expect me to
give up.
The
next day, I waited until school was over to go talk to my other principle, which
was a woman. Tap-tap-tap! I knocked on her decorated office door. “Teacher
Terry?” “Come in!” she said in a singsong voice from inside. I pushed the door
open and stepped into her office. If anyone would vouch for me being on the
boys team, it was going to be Teacher Terry, and I wasn’t about to let this
opportunity pass by. Not to mention, Teacher Terry was quite the versatile feminist
herself; she went to protests, traveled a lot, and her office was covered in
scented candles and pictures in different countries. “I would like to know if
Emmi and I could be on the boys baseball team” I tried slowly, eyeing her for
any signs of an answer but she nodded so I kept going “I think we’d both be
good, and I don’t want to do softball because I just don’t feel like it’s
challenging enough for me. I want to be able to play the same version of sports
that the guys get to play”. She nodded and looked up at the ceiling making a
light humming noise “Okay” she said pursing her lips. “I think we might be able
to make that work. The team needs more players anyways...I just have to run it
by the sports coordinator. No promises though, it’s not every day that we have
girls signing up for boys sports”. I smiled excitedly and thanked her. She
nodded and shooed me out of her office with her hand.
The
next day at school, I told Emmi the good news. She was as excited as I was,
even though it wasn’t official yet. We were jittery, and I felt the knot in my
stomach twisting as classes slowly passed by. Throughout that day we talked
about how awesome it was going to be to practice on the boys team every day,
and to get to avoid all of the drama and attitude that tended to come with
girls’ sports at my school. Sure enough at the end of the day, Teacher Terry told
us she pulled some strings and we could join the team. We’d be starting the
next day after school. I went home feeling proud of myself for getting us on
the team, but I knew the hard part was going to be the actual practices and
games with the boys’ team. I told my parents, and they seemed proud that I had
taken an interest in something other than my social life. I felt a new
motivation pumping down through my stomach and up into my fingertips, it was
the beginning of a new me.
The
following morning, I packed my bag with a pair of cleats, high socks, a
baseball hat, and a water bottle. I was now prepared to face the challenge I
had set up for myself. I was nervous and jittery all day, I couldn’t wait for
classes to get out. When it was finally time for practice, we got on the bus that
took us to the field and introduced ourselves to the boys, who weren’t very
happy to have girls on their team. They were territorial over their field,
coaches, and traditions that we knew nothing about, but we were confident and
no amount of pushing was going to break me. The practices were hard, and the
boys were hard on us. We experienced blood, sweat, and tears. Rough practices
and angry teammates. However, after a lot of bad throws, a lot of frustration,
and a bloody nose from getting hit in the face with a ball, I began improving.
And when the season was almost over, the boys were giving me high fives,
cheering for me, and I even won a game ball!
When
the season ended, We were all closer than ever. We had all been through
injuries together, being there for Emmi when her mom got cancer and she could
barely keep herself together at practice, celebrating birthdays, sweating,
laughing, and fighting, every day out on the field. When it was finally over
the rest of the team told me they were going to miss me, and they had really
warmed up to having girls on their team, especially since I wasn’t bad anymore
they joked. Whenever someone said something to me about being weird for joining
a boy’s sport, or for just joining in the midst of trying to get attention, the
guys on my team would stand up for me and defend my new found passion.
My
coach who went by “Wink”, gave me this whole speech about how he was so
grateful to have a girl as dedicated as me on his team and that he was going to
miss me. I remember him patting my head and saying “everyone has the potential
to be good at what they love, silly old rules shouldn’t stop you from doing
what you enjoy.” I gave him a hug, and was proud of myself for sticking up for
what I wanted to do, and following through with it. His words never left my
head, and I will forever live by the motto of doing what you love, regardless
of who tells you can’t. I hoped that girls all over the world would begin
sticking up for themselves and making opportunities to do the things they love,
no matter the gender rule. Although it was a big goal, I was more confident
that things would keep changing for the better. To this day, I’m still friend’s
with every boy on that baseball team and they all have a different perspective
on girls, and what they are capable of.
Comments
No comments have been posted yet.
Log in to post a comment.