The Seeds Of Chauvinism

Even before she’s born you wrap her

In the “pink blanket”

-The blanket of the world’s bigoted intransigent opinions

And they blame the same world if she is wronged someday

Even before she affirms her opinions you hand her the pinkest of dresses

And books of princesses and the prettiest of dolls

With golden tresses

While you hand him over the remote controls

The cars

The superhero masks

Before he even asks, you go out there and buy

And to fend his tears away,

You say – look- boys don’t cry;

And then you expect him to

Go out and play soccer down the lane

While she sits at home

And brushes her doll’s mane

And that is the exact reason why

YOU don’t watch female soccer

Or even basketball

You had gifted her –

The kitchen set after all;

You crop his hair, you give him shirts

And ask him to go play ball

You grow her hair and give her frocks

And ask her to come back before nightfall

And then you ask why are we discriminated against.

Why does none of the major countries have a women president?

Why no woman ever has been on the moon?

And why do they still have to fight for their rights?

You blame the world if they victimize her

Without realizing you have been the one all along.

Treat her as an equal

Encourage her to be strong and play in the sun

Give her the choice of clothes and hair

Ask her to pursue what she likes the best

Tell her that strong girls don’t cry either

We all have two pairs of limbs after all

And a brain and a spine to hold us up tall

Generation after generation

You have been sowing the seeds of chauvinism

Now is the time you stop.