My Holiday Wish for my Granddaughters
December 13, 2009
by Helen McCombs
|The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
I have been blessed with six beautiful grandchildren with another one on the way in March. I have four soon to be five granddaughters as I hold my youngest one in my arms this holiday season.
I have several wishes for all my granddaughters. My first wish is for them to be judged as individuals and not as girls. I hope they can walk into a Science or Math class and feel confident. I hope that no one tells them that they are girls and can’t do Math or Science. I wish that all teachers instill a confidence in them so that they want to learn.
My second wish is that people take them serious for who they are and not be condescending or patronizing because they are girls. I hope that their accompliments will not result in people telling them they get points because they are girls or because they are African American or both.
My third wish is that in their lifetime women would support each other and even if they disagree to do so without destroying each other.
My Fourth and most important wish for them is that they never become victims of sexual assault or that they never have to endure physical abuse by husbands or boyfriends and if they are hit that they leave him.
My oldest granddaughter and youngest daughter are 13 and 14 and beginning to look at the opposite sex My wish for them is that with sexulility comes a lot of responsibility and should be taken serious. I want them to know that regardless what everyone says “everyone is not having sex” and that it is ok if they want to wait.
My last wish is for all women all over the world. That wish is for all of us to see a woman elected President Of the United States. Once we break this hardest highest ceiling then there is nothing we can do. Will this solve all our problems? No but it would be a large step.
I want to wish everyone Happy Holiday!
Helen,
I love your list of hopes and wishes for your granddaughters. I have the same hopes and wishes for my daughter who is just two years old. I want a world that is safe for our girls and welcomes and respects them as the unique individuals they are!
This is what keeps me going with feminism and I imagine any parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or true friend of a little girl would have these wishes, too (even if they don’t quite connect with or understand the f-word (feminism).
Thanks Helen. I don’t think we will ever have all women on board but we do have many men on our side and that helps the cause too.
Thank you for this article, Helen. I have the same wishes for my two young nieces and for my 11-year-old cousin.
Thanks for a beautiful article Helen! Your wishes are much the same as mine and I hope we can make them come true!
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