A Small Box
If you grow up in a female body, this is what society will tell you: you are fragile, weak, and inferior. You should wear pink: dresses, bows, ruffles, and sparkles from head to toe, and you should never do anything that could get you dirty. Now, you may be the kind of girl who likes to wear shorts and t-shirts, who skins her knees climbing trees and stains her white dress jumping in mud puddles on rainy spring days. If that is the case you’re not a girl at all, you are a tomboy. Oh, you like sports, and you asked for a toy gun and soccer cleats for Christmas? Well, you’re getting an American Girl doll, a new dress, and a play kitchen equipped with mini cleaning supplies. Everyone knows that trucks and tools, blocks and guns, these things are for boys. If you’re a girl and you like these things, you’re simply abnormal. Oh, and your best friend Charlie, you simply have to have romantic feelings for. I mean you’re only eight...but you chase him on the playground, share animal crackers with him at lunch, plus, you were the only girl at his birthday party, and girls and boys can’t just be friends. There is more going on, even if you don’t know it yet. Also, you suck at science, math, and anything that requires actual thought. You should stick to reading and writing, keeping the house clean, you know, "lady's work." You can’t play football or soccer or any of those man sports because you will get hurt, and you will get muddy. So, try out for cheerleading instead, it is a better fit for you after all. You were put on this Earth to support the men.