A forum for Blog Community #10 of CSCL 1001 (Introduction to Cultural Studies: Rhetoric, Power, Desire; University of Minnesota, Fall 2011) -- and interested guests.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The only girl
Growing up with three brothers, my opinions and thoughts often went unrecognized. This wasn’t the case with writing. In writing, my voice didn’t need the validation of my brothers or my parents, and the possibilities were endless. I remember I was so sure I wanted to be a writer that I got started on my novel at the age of ten. The book “The School Story” by Andrew Clements was all the momentum I needed to be the first elementary school novelist. I could see my name right along side with the other great authors; which in my professional fourth grade opinion were Judy Bloom and Barbara Park. I believe that being the middle child with three brothers sparked my creativity and fluidity as a writer. Many people ask me if being the only girl in my family makes me the little princess. My answer is always "Absolutely not!" If anything, being the only girl has made me less noticed than my siblings. When kids are younger, they gravitate towards their own sex. Boys play with boys and girls play with girls. Being surrounded by three brothers, I became somewhat obnoxious, desperate for inclusion after being left out of their countless video games and rough games. I wanted to stand out and get recognition. Writing became my outlet for this. I think being the only girl definitely had an effect on my personality. I get along well with boys, but it definitely hasn't made me a tom-boy. I think I rebelled against being the odd one out and took extremes to make my mark in my family. I am very feminine and I developed a headstrong personality. I can hold my own, and my independence also stems from me having three brothers. I guess I should thank my brothers for all their teasing and rough housing with me, it made me who I am!
This is really interesting because it seems like everyone else talked about a specific person or activity or even just culture, something on the outside that shaped what is on the inside whereas yours is biological. Although I agree being a girl in an all boys world definitely shaped the person you are it could have also been the culture of what everyone expected of a girl. Then because of the cultural standards you challenged them to be you're own girl with a strong personality.
ReplyDeleteI really relate to this because I am a middle child with 6 siblings. I definitely think I rebelled to get noticed growing up but also found it that much more important to do great things to make sure that if compared to one of my siblings I would win the "who is a better child award". I also was surrounded with mostly boys. Growing up I think my mom tried to lump me in as one of the boys. I played hockey and soccer not gymnastics and dance and was a really big tom boy. By the time I hit highschool age I really wanted to become my own individual and through this I transformed into the very girly girl that I am now. I think I used this to define myself when I realized how close I had become to blending in with my brothers. It was also as this age that I realized the social stigma behind being a tom boy and in a sense I think I realized it would be easier to fit in with the norm of feminine.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that you used writing as an outlet towards being the only girl. Especially if not many others actually read your writing. I was the only girl too, but I wanted to be exactly like my brothers. Instead of hanging out with the girls, I spent time with the guys playing kickball. If anything, the only way this made me stand out was because I was always known as the tomboy of the muscular girl. Nice job taking another viewpoint on how to separate yourself from them!
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