*My friend, April, wrote this. It's right on, and she's an awesome gal.


To my unborn male child:

I know I am damning you to an adolescence filled with ridicule from your male contemporaries - that is unless gender relations change drastically within the next ten years (I am not exactly hopeful in that regard).

I am apologizing to you now, little egg.

I know your childhood will be difficult because your mother instructed you to be sensitive and thoughtful of emotions - whether they be anger, aggression, sadness or helplessness; aware of your actions on others; aware of others' actions upon you.

It will be difficult because your mother will teach to value every human life, be it male or female, gay or straight or something in between, white, yellow, red, black, or brown.

I write this now, knowing my thoughts might not be as lucid twenty years from now.

I will keep it close to my heart when I reassure you that the other little boys are simply afraid of their own inadequacies - even if they pushed YOU to your knees and called you a fag.

I will offer you my journal when you call me from college, accusing me of raising you too nice - she left you for the boy who bashes peoples' heads on scholarship.

Just remember, after the boys who pushed you have long grown bald and resigned to selling used cars in their hometowns, you will be teaching your own daughters how to be strong, irrepressible women.