More Aware

Prior to this class, I never noticed the stereotypical gender remarks.  I grew up feeling like I could do anything a boy could do and probably do it better.  I have always been given the same opportunities that boys I knew were given.  My parents encouraged me to follow my passions whether that was power rangers or the medical field.  They said that I could do anything I set my heart to, and to this day I still believe it.  I do not believe that a man can get in my way from accomplishing my goals.  We have been blest to be in America for that reason because in many countries these types of ideals are unrealistic for women. 

With that being said, now that I am in this class I have been more observant to the little comments that are gender discriminating.  I was driving today with a boy in my passenger seat, and he said, “You’re a good driver, but you still don’t have the Y chromosome.”  I laughed at the time and said, “Oh please like having a Y chromosome makes you any more adept, if anything it’s a handicap.”  Even though I believe that I am capable of anything that a man can do, I’m finally “hearing” these little “jokes.”  I think it is important to be confident and fire back another little “joke” because confidence can overcome these little remarks.  It’s funny though how casual they are though because we’ve grown up hearing the “that’s my boy!” or “quit being such a girl!” comments.  We’ve all done it.  It is important to educate the next generation so we can break from this mold. 

Another thing that I’ve picked up on since starting this class is that you (Celia) said that women are more inclined to start out a sentence “I think/believe.”  Writing these blogs I am becoming more cognizant of how many opinionated sentences I start with “I think /believe.”  I keep catching myself and forcing myself to change it.  Crazy how that works…