Being a girl can become a difficult life style. Between our stages in life, staggering attitudes and emotions… I don’t know how we would get through it.

I myself am a girl, born and raised as one; so I know first hand that I can be very frail and take many chances. I’m also the target for a lot of people, for emotional support and other things. My parents depend a lot on me to take care of things when they can’t, especially because I'm the only girl.

I recall my 5^th grade classroom, the desks were set up in rows of six, and I sat in the middle row, of a large room filled with an average sized class. And that’s where he sat, right there in front of me; now being a female in a male bias world I found that most guys don’t expect you to know how to fight. And that’s where he made his mistake. His name was Tommy and he tried to take my pencil, this might not seem like a big deal now but ever since I was younger, I had an “obsessive compulsive disorder” type of thing; I absolutely positively could not stand to have people touching my things, or things that I had previously touched. So I asked him kindly to please not touch my things…he didn’t quite listen. He continued to grab for my book bag when I told him again “DO NOT TOUCH MY THINGS” I was getting madder and he didn’t seem to comprehend the level of seriousness displayed in my threatening tone. “Shut up” he snapped back at me “don’t be a tattle tale”. “I wont,” I said through my teeth “but stop touching my things” with an angry shove, he pushed me. In rebuttal, I shoved him back.

Ever since my early days of childhood, I had always been a fighter. I had to fight to get where I was going, and I learned that a lot of people are really big bullies and if you don’t do what they tell you, they tend to get really pissed. Following his shove, he attempted to hit me; When I noticed what he was about to do I ducked and hit him where my mom told me to hit any guy who tried to put their hands on me. I threw my leg back and in one full-fledged kick, my foot met him in a not so pleasant place and he instantly hit the ground. He didn’t seem so tough now as he lay curled up on the floor sobbing. That was the earliest experience I can recall where someone made me feel puny because of my gender.

Ever since I was younger, this problem frustrated me, the problem of male bias that seemed so prominent in the world and especially in my life. Just because I’m a dress wearing, pony tailed, doll playing human doesn’t mean I’m not as tough as anyone else in this world. I believe that since girls have a different in sight look of things, people think we’re weak, and powerless.

Fathers always expect their sons to be the tough ones, while the girls are supposed to be the sensitive ones, the ones who cry when they fall not the boys. Mothers always teach their daughters to clean and cook before they grow older. Girls are taught to be mothers of animals-09 and baby dolls while boys are being taught to be Harley riders and wrestlers. Girls are taught that in a dress you’re a princess and no one could change that. Boys are taught that the more muscles you have the more people like you.

Girls walking around in short skirts, short shorts and tight clothes just to get the attention of another person. To me people aren’t important id much rather go outside feeling comfortable then to go out wondering “does this shirt look right?” or “is this the right fit?”. I clearly don’t care what people think of me, people have their own opinions and thoughts of what a girl is supposedly supposed to say, wear and look.

My older cousin thinks that every girl is suppose to be mega skinny, always dress nice, and have long hair. Every time I go around him he makes the choice to piss me off, and say stuff like why don’t you ever have your hair done and what happen to your nice clothes and you really go outside like that. This would piss me off a lot if I cared what he really thought. I don’t I think if I accept the way I am, headstrong and beautiful, then I should not listen to how someone else thoughts about me is. Yeah I know a lot of people worry that this wont happen that wont happen. I am still a girl, but I rather go by it the way I think everything should fall into place. Easily and comfortably, just like I have been. I like playing football, I like running around, I like wrestling, and doing my make-up. Everything is even out for me. Just because I like doing things like a boy doesn’t mean I’m not a girl. Just because I dress and look a certain way doesn’t mean people wont like me because I have a boyfriend, and he loves me the way I am.

My mom expects me to be that girly girl she had always wanted, but I’m not. I love being the hard worker I am. I work to succeed in life not to impress others. I want to go to culinary school, not because I’m expected to cook but because I love making people surprised and happy in what I make for them.

By being a girl I am setting a line. Yes I will do my hair, yes I like dressing nicely, and yes I do wear make-up. I will not be criticized by what I want to do and what I like to do. I may be girly but I can still roughhouse, fight, and play rough. Yes I am a girl and I will still cook, not because you want me to but because I love to cook for others and myself. Yes I am a girl so I will settle down one day, but with someone who see’s me as a person not as a play toy. Someone who understands, that I am as much as a person as they are. Someone who believes love doesn’t come from the outside of your body but from the inside of your soul, someone who understands me, cares for me, and respects me.

Deciphering fact from fiction is one thing that kids don't or maybe won't fully understand; then trying to figure out the reasoning behind the moral that your parents teach you is another. Growing up, your parents or guardians instilled certain lessons of language or morals in your mind, but what happens when their plans seem to back fire and you follow another instinct; rebellion. What happens when you defy the morals and language that you were taught to think was correct? Well, I'll tell you because I can describe it to you first hand from the eyes of my own to the minds and thought of my parents in shock. 

So it was about a few months ago, six months ago. One of my best friends is a vegetarian. See at first I found this to be a real stupid, I always judged him because he was a vegetarian, I even forgot a lot of times. I was not a real considerate person towards his beliefs and how he felt about his choice to not eat meat. Till one day he when he came to me and asked me about something we’ve talked about before. 

 “Me, A vegetarian?” I had said with a astonished gasp 

“Yeah you, I bet you wouldn’t even last one day or even one hour in my shoes.” He said in his provocation voice

So once I got off the phone I took a few minutes to think to myself. ‘Since I’m a vegetarian mines well tell my family’ I said to myself. That night I went to the dinner table with more on my plate then an actual plate would be able to hold. My family dinner starts off like it usually does everybody gathers at the table and then they say their grace and we all eat. When I had got to the eating part my family had noticed that I did not take any of the roast beef that my dad had made, this made them curious. 

“You forgot something”, my dad said 

“No I didn’t, I need to talk to you guys.” I said as if the whole world was looking straight at me in a shirt that said I’m different

“Go ahead, we’re listening” My mom says in an accepting and considerate way

“So I’ve done some long and hard thinking, and I believe I’m ready to say that I want to be a vegetarian. Yeah I know it’s a big change, but I’m ready for the challenge.” I said this with power, pride, and confidence. 

My family stopped, not any type of stop but one of those what just happened stop. The moment of silence was so essential that the whole world had gotten silent. Vegetarian what? Every ones faces replied in their silence. Everyone just stared then they continued to eat. They were silent as a library. After a few minutes I had got the idea, so I put my utensils down on my plate and I stepped away from the table. I’m your typical teenager, something bad happens I leave and totally flip out to someone who understood me but doesn’t like or can’t talk. So I went upstairs and told my dog what just happened and went through everything that was bothering me at the time and moment. Pacing back and forth in my room burning holes into my ‘emotions and feelings’ so that I could calm down. After about twenty to thirty minutes my dad called me from upstairs. This made me more nervous then how I felt before I told them. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach and a little man did this hopping thing in there too. I felt as sick as a dog who just ate chocolate. As I walked down the steps I felt like I was falling into a deep dark hole, at one point I felt like I was walking into the deepest darkest depths of hell. So my whole family was downstairs in the living. They all sat next to each other, I felt like an intervention was about to take place. 

“What made you want to be a vegetarian?” My dad asked so quickly

“I actually been thinking about it for awhile and it seems like a smart choice to me. “ I replied

“Hmm,” He says with a eerie look “ are you sure your ready for such a change in diet like this?”

“Yes, as ready as ill ever be. I’m prepared to take the challenge that will change my life style.” I replied

“Well we all support you with whatever choice you made.” My mom had said to make me feel better.

So then I exited the living room to return to my comfy bed. That night was the first night of me being a vegetarian. 

Vegetarian was a foreign word in my family. It was things we saw on television, things we heard other people talk about and be, but never we. I was alienated from my family the moment I uttered the word vegetarian from my mouth. Alienated but accepted I continue to live my life and as I will continue as a vegetarian. 

Through many years intellectually you’ll notice your parents becoming more and more intact that you are not trying to disappoint them, but every structure they taught you would be more stretched out to help them understand and comprehend life as it is and the children.  I didn’t disappoint my parents but I gave them a little mental shock by telling them that I was a vegetarian.  Another example oh parents raising their children to comprehend that some things are not acceptable for times and or places. Steve Lundeberg Lundy: Acceptable language?

Some years back, I was driving with my niece from Australia, her husband Simon and another niece when I had to stop abruptly when the car in front of us did the same.

“S—,” I exclaimed, then, remembering the young women in the car, quickly said, “I mean shoot.”

“S—’s acceptable,” Simon said matter-of-factly.

In this scene the guy is talking and someone halts on his or her breaks really fast.  When this happens the man goes to curse, but he doesn’t. He did not do this because his parents had taught him not to. In many cases people would not care but he did. He was raised to learn that you are suppose to be your full blown gentleman when your around a lady. If he was around all of his friends I wonder if that would be the same. I don’t think so I think he would’ve talked around them however he felt like. 

When a parent had taught you to speak and learn a way that child tries and tries to fulfill their parents orders, but when its time to grow up and make your own choices then it’s time to defy the morals and language that you were taught to think was correct.