I've never been the motherly type, but I've always wanted to raise a strong daughter, pass on some of my she-wisdom, if I may.
Now, here I am, in this space, with these two boys. I'm a little frightened and a little out of my element. Change of plans.
The lesson is still the same: A world where women and men don't have to be afraid of each other, where we teach each other it's wrong to hate and hurt anyone.
Yes, I would have taught her: Be careful b/c there are bad people out there, bad men who may hurt you, rape you and even kill you.
Now instead of preaching to the choir, I have to demand attention, ask for empathy, require understanding, have a conversation, turn the tables. It's important to me.
It's personal because it's as simple as: I don't want any of my sons to hurt any of your daughters.
I used to live in that world of Be Careful, but now this beast is changing skin, changing wheels, mutating, re-evaluating b/c my world is now, teaching:
Rape is wrong.
Now, here I am, in this space, with these two boys. I'm a little frightened and a little out of my element. Change of plans.
The lesson is still the same: A world where women and men don't have to be afraid of each other, where we teach each other it's wrong to hate and hurt anyone.
Yes, I would have taught her: Be careful b/c there are bad people out there, bad men who may hurt you, rape you and even kill you.
Now instead of preaching to the choir, I have to demand attention, ask for empathy, require understanding, have a conversation, turn the tables. It's important to me.
It's personal because it's as simple as: I don't want any of my sons to hurt any of your daughters.
I used to live in that world of Be Careful, but now this beast is changing skin, changing wheels, mutating, re-evaluating b/c my world is now, teaching:
Rape is wrong.