“As far as I’m concerned, being any gender is a drag.”
Patti Smith (1943) American Singer
I watch as he raised his left foot. He placed it on the bumper of his ’49 Ford truck. They were talking about Saturday’s football game. I knew than, but I couldn’t hear the words. What they were saying wasn’t important. It was how they were talking together. They were so comfortable, they laughed, and at the moment, they had nothing in the world to worry about except the game coming up the next weekend.
It was at that precise moment I rec all, I was aware of my envy of boys, which a few years later became an awareness I was jealous of men in general. They could go anywhere, say anything, do anything and they were always excused, when doing something irregular, as “boys will be boys!”
The only thing I did not envy was their mandatory role in Viet Nam. For 25 years I resented men’s carefree ways, always seeming to adapt well, their confidence and their level of poise . . .
Then one day, two years ago, I realized men looked at me the way I had been looking at them! Somehow I had transformed! I am confident, I have poise and a sense of humor. Others look to me for direction, both men and women.
I finally see people instead of gender. I see achievers, those with direction and positive attitudes,t hose with spiritual consciousness.
How I love this new awareness.