“This couldn’t be true, could it?”

‘Yesterday’ she was still unaccustomed to my chest and today she is shining in the final musical of group eight. Intangible is the time that takes us to later. Emotions were high the last few weeks and the realization was definitely there: these were the last weeks at primary school. She got a second pierced ear and as we walked out of the jewelry store she said, “Mom, I feel really big now.”

Group 8 musical

And she is. My twelve year old human. With one leg in primary school, with the other in *patriarchy. Six family members are rigged to come and see the result in the city theatre. I have flowers and mixed feelings with me. fuck. She’s going to high school and the world isn’t ready for her yet. The curtain opens and the first twelve-year-old amateur appears on the scene. Grandfathers and grandmothers applaud their offspring and the atmosphere is fraught, but as it should be. I feel the tears welling in my eyes.

Mood changes

The children have practiced well and now and then they laugh out loud at the puns. In front and behind me are all parents and I feel the togetherness between us. The musical is about an island and we are all in the same imaginary boat. Nice. But then my mood changed… This couldn’t be true, could it? It’s 2022! Why had no one pointed this out in advance? Jesus.

Surprise

I looked around for any more surprised parents or grandparents, but the hall still seemed to be entranced. Three boys come on the scene, they play three businessmen. Moments later, four hairdressers appear. It’s four girls. Three archaeologists (professors) appear on the scene. It’s three guys again. Then a couple of ‘bored kids’ come on stage, who only feel like shopping. They’re girls. Finally, there are spoiled snobs, two girls with three bodyguards. You guessed it… those are three strong guys.

Also read: Patricia wonders: ‘Why can’t one girl camp with eight boys in a garden?’

Exhausted examples

To make matters worse, ‘the mothers’ only talk about their appearance and their anti-wrinkle cream in the musical. I could have cried, but this time with sadness. God damn it. Do we really pass these tired examples on to our children? And I’m not just talking about girls here. Boys are trapped just as hard, but in the masculine stereotypes. And that’s why feminism is good for guys too.

Wish for group behind

hmm. I look to the left where I see my father enjoying his growing granddaughter. I look to the right and see my husband. I think I see a tear in his eye as the curtain falls and as our kids get a standing ovation, he quickly wipes it away. My wish is that all children who are now on that stage know how to fight free from the cultivated core values ​​that society attributes to them. Whether you are a boy or a girl, non-binary or transgender or…

*Patriarchy is a hypothetical form of society in which fathers – or more generally men – play a dominant role.

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