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Women Only
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Straight Female / 32
One Day You Just Grow Into It, Being A Woman
I grew up in a supportive home, you can be anything you want to be. I was a top student all my life, active in student government, volunteering, sports. That day, I was 17, a senior in high school. My mother had me and my younger sister helping her fold laundry. I complained, why did we have to fold laundry, what about our brothers?
A few times my mother used the disapproval look. Your brothers have sisters, you don't seriously believe you want your brothers doing woman work? Your brother mowed the lawn, your other brother is at camp with his troupe. When he comes home he is going to want a hot shower, a freshly laundered towel, nice, clean, folded underwear in his dresser. You are his 'sister'.
It did not end there, my mother informed me, 'for your information young lady', I was going to do laundry all my life, wipe baby bottoms, go grocery shopping, plan and prepare meals for your family, 'you my dear got the woman card, let the men do men work, you make sure you have your woman work under control'.
My whole body trembled, I got sick at the stomach, I looked at my mother. 'Get ahold of yourself, you are born a woman, you will die a woman, you make sure every hour of every day your husband knows you are a woman'.
Time has proved my mother right. Maybe not specifically, but in the global sense she was right. My sons are 8 and 6. They have chores, and many times I have reminded them they are boys, ho help their father, leave their bathroom and bedroom to me. Soon my three year old daughter will be old enough to help. I get great pleasure in folding and putting their clean clothes in their dresser.
A few times my mother used the disapproval look. Your brothers have sisters, you don't seriously believe you want your brothers doing woman work? Your brother mowed the lawn, your other brother is at camp with his troupe. When he comes home he is going to want a hot shower, a freshly laundered towel, nice, clean, folded underwear in his dresser. You are his 'sister'.
It did not end there, my mother informed me, 'for your information young lady', I was going to do laundry all my life, wipe baby bottoms, go grocery shopping, plan and prepare meals for your family, 'you my dear got the woman card, let the men do men work, you make sure you have your woman work under control'.
My whole body trembled, I got sick at the stomach, I looked at my mother. 'Get ahold of yourself, you are born a woman, you will die a woman, you make sure every hour of every day your husband knows you are a woman'.
Time has proved my mother right. Maybe not specifically, but in the global sense she was right. My sons are 8 and 6. They have chores, and many times I have reminded them they are boys, ho help their father, leave their bathroom and bedroom to me. Soon my three year old daughter will be old enough to help. I get great pleasure in folding and putting their clean clothes in their dresser.
