I Cried at My Gender Reveal — and Not Happy Tears

A confession to my daughter about the day of my ultrasound appointment

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Dear Daughter,

The moment I found out I was having a girl at my 26-week ultrasound appointment, I couldn’t hold in my tears.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want you.

It was because I felt helpless, thinking that your life would be just as hard — if not harder—as mine. This world hasn’t exactly been kind to us, and I didn’t know how to protect you when I didn’t even know how to defend myself.

I wanted to apologize for bringing you into this harsh place.

As a girl, there are a few things you ought to know:

You’ll be held to a higher standard.

You’ll need to prove yourself to others. You’ll be judged not only by your opposites but by your own kind because some of us weren’t raised to believe that we needed to stick together to win a fight we didn’t sign up for.

You’ll be picked on for the way you look.

Skinny, chubby, tall, or petite. The clothes you wear, be it dresses or sweats. The shoes you walk in, stilettos or Converse. The hair you pull up or let loose, pixie cut or wavy perms. The…