The next wave

I feel as tho I've stumbled into an excellent opportunity. Seven and a half years ago, in the midst of a life-altering experience - and more pain than I care to try and remember - came my little girl.

Of course, this happens thousands of times a day all around the globe, but many people take it for granted. People, especially women, don't always see the potential in these small creatures. The opportunities open to these girls, opportunities that their grandmothers, and perhaps even their mothers, didn't have just 20 - 50 years ago; opportunities that girls on the other side of the world still don't have.

The amount of potential harnessed in these girls is amazing - and talk about it all you want, when you see it with your own eyes, it will blow you away. That same potential that has been pushed back and covered up for centuries is now in your face and at the forefront. They no longer have to resign their lives to being dependent upon another, they can do for themselves. We have the opportunity to shape the lives of future generations, societal norms, and gender roles just in the way we raise our daughters.

It pisses me off when I see parents allowing their daughters to play into the stereotypical roles.. or worse, dress like little adults. For example, 14 year old girls should not be wearing shirts that say, "Guys like tig bitties" or shorts with "Juicy" plastered across the ass - and what kind of parent allows their daughter to leave the house like that? What kind of message are we sending our daughters when we consent to this type of behavior?

Use your heads, people. Raise your girls to be strong, educated and confident women. Don't allow them to be caught up in this superficial culture that objectifies their bodies before they are even done developing them. Promote academia and athletics over dieting and make-up. It is up to you to give them a foundation, one that will hold throughout their lives.

Looks fade, self-sufficiency and empowerment lasts.