On international women’s day, I posted a throwback of a blog I wrote on IWD2020, inspired by my daughter. I did a throwback post because originally, as I sat down to write about my sweet girl, I was shocked and saddened about what went down on paper.
What came out, was an apology.
For my daughter.
My Hazelnut.
Hazel is only three, and so she won’t understand this just yet, but I want to tell her that I am sorry.
Hazel, my darling. I am sorry.
I am sorry that the world we want for you, we haven’t quite made it yet.
But we are trying.
We are all trying.
I am sorry for all the 𝓃𝑜’𝓈 you are going to hear throughout your life.
I am sorry that you are going to hear most of them, from me.
I am sorry that your choice in clothing and how you wear it will determine people’s opinion of you.
I am sorry that your hair, its length, colour, and the way you flick it over your shoulder or twirl it around your finger, will be a signal for what others choose to say or do to you.
I am sorry that there are times of the day and night that are not safe for you to go out.
I am sorry that your gender has placed you at great risk of being harmed, discriminated against, undermine, and stereotyped.
It all seems a bit grim, doesn’t it my darling.
But I am still sorry.
I am sorry for the 𝒴𝑒𝓈’𝓈 that you will hear given out to your brothers.I am doing my best to raise your brothers to be the men needed for a world full of 𝒴𝑒𝓈’𝓈.
A world just for you.
A world where you and your brothers can send your daughters out freely, to live, laugh, and love without being harmed, discriminated against, undermine, and stereotyped.
I want to tell you that times are changing and that you have more freedom then women have ever had. And this may be true, for the most part. But for all the reasons that this world is not yet safe, are the reasons why I will have to say, 𝓃𝑜.
And I’m sorry.
Mum. X
FlyInMyWine 