A thank you to a few Facebook friends for sharing a few interesting links yesterday.  It is not a coincidence to me that they are all from different folks, yet the theme is all so similar.

First off, I was a Barbie girl growing up.  I wanted the next best and greatest Barbie.  I was known to cut their hair (a horrible idea if you ever want to ever have them not look freaky).  Their hair grows in rows, so when you cut it, all you have left is 3 or 4 rows of hair sticking up.  I loved dressing them, brushing their hair, and yes even having them have sex to the only cassette I had at the time: Daryl Hall and John Oates.  At the time, I was a ‘pink’ girl.  I loved putting on the eye shadow my grandma had in her cabinet, a bright blue color that looked hideous on me, but she still let me leave the house looking horrible.  I wonder why she never wore it?!

Later in college, I ranged from the other end of the spectrum.  I had a shaved head, did not wear make-up (I guess the blue eye shadow got it out of my system).  I guess being a ‘pink’ girl did not stay with me.

So when I watched this video of Riley, well she just made my day.  I wish every little girl could have such passion, eagerness and questioning conviction for their toys!  We need more discussions with children about how completely okay it is for boys to play with dolls and pink things and girls to play with space ships and super heros.  It allows girls to learn qualities of strength and adventure, and boys to learn to nurture and enjoy beauty.  Riley ROCKS!

If only our lives were all so balanced later in life!  What led me as a little girl towards Barbies? Hall & Oates/Barbies/Sex? Blue Eye Shadow?  How do we learn these things?  Which leads me to the next article I read by Lisa Bloom, it is a bit older going back to last June, but it is still just as important today.  Lisa Bloom’s new book is going on my reading list!  I love how she describes how she talked to Maya about her mind instead of her pretty face or dress.  I will definitely be trying doing that when encountering little ones in the future.

On sidewalk in Amsterdam

Close up of sticker

In honor of this from Lisa’s article: “You go on with your bad self, Maya.”

I am going to take my bad self and dive into the next book I am reading.