My daughter is 13 today

My daughter turned 13 in America. In a country that elected a man who scores women on their looks.

She’s turning 13 in a country with more CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies named John than female CEO’s.

In a country where someone called her bossy for leading on the soccer field.

Young men aren’t called bossy. Only young women. See the third sentence of this piece.

Last year we went deep sea fishing in Florida. My then 12-year old daughter and 10-year old son.

When he caught a fish, the nice man with New York accent said “way to go champ.” When she caught a fish, the same nice man said “way to go princess.”

Of course she caught more fish.

Afterwards, the kids and I talked about it. Isn’t it weird that he called you champ and her princess when she caught more fish? He wanted to say something to the nice man, too.

I didn’t confront him, but I should have.

He was just trying to be nice, but he isn’t helping. She’s a champ. She’s a leader. She’s a future boss, not a princess.

In the next few years, many well-meaning people will ask me in a well-meaning way how I will protect her from young men.

Like she’s an object that needs it. She isn’t and doesn’t.

Here’s my plea. If we want to change the third sentence of this post, we ALL need to change. I’ll step and explain things when it isn’t comfortable. I’ll step up and call people out.

“How come you’re not asking me if I’m going to protect my son?”

“Why do you think she needs protection?”

Who’s with me?