The true test of a feminist

I was talking to the twins about which fall activity they wanted to do. TT asked what her choices were besides soccer--"Baseball?" she asked. "No, fall sports are soccer, football and cheerleading," I told her. Her top choice was cheerleading, but I missed the sign-up deadline. "Football," she said, "I want to play football."

I took a gulp and chose my words carefully, "you can do whatever sport you want, but I want you to know that football will be mostly boys."

"That's ok," she said.

"Ok," I said. "You can definitely do anything that the boys can do--but you will probably be the only girl on the team."

"That's ok," she said, "I want to play football."

And I copped out and said, "ok, I'll talk to your dad."

Because while the feminist part of me--the part of me that was the first girl to do plenty of activities when I was in high school and college--is battling the mama bear who wants to protect her babies.

I know that DD will be the only girl--even though technically they are co-ed teams. And I don't know what kind of reception she will get. They play in a pretty non-competitive church league--but still . . . I'm afraid that even at 7 there will be boys who have been taught that girls don't play football. And I don't want her to be teased or discouraged. And it might be easier if she were an awesome athletic talent who would kick the boys' tails--but she's not.

I know that I have to let her play, if that is what she really wants. It won't help her grow into the strong independent woman that I want her to be if I always shield her from everything that might hurt her.

Heehee--just as I was finishing up this post TT (who is supposed to be in bed) yelled down the stairs, "Mommm-eeeee! When I asked you to tell me what Daddy said, I meant right now." (It really wasn't in the bratty tone that this reads as.)

Guess she doesn't want to wait 'til tomorrow for an answer. So I told her she can do whatever she wants.