Families

Children are tiny, impressionable sponges. And small children, presumably the movie’s target audience, are the most impressionable.

Unlike the many women who dance towards the pink sugarplum visions having a girl conjures, I wanted desperately to escape.

I disowned my father when I was 17. He was a perfect storm of a human being, drowning women in physical abuse, rape, judgment, and his excuses. I experienced all but rape, and for that I consider myself lucky.

I did a boudoir photography shoot shortly before becoming pregnant. I lost 25 pounds to help control my blood pressure before pregnancy put its strain on my heart and I hadn’t been at that weight since high-school. I wanted a record of that body, before I shared it with a new little human. It felt so satisfying to take in all of my sexy lingerie, to tighten those cords of my corset. I had done it! I was smoking hot!

I don't know what your family has told you, but it isn't normal for a brother to fondle his sisters as they sleep or while he reads them a story.

When my husband and I looked at the screen in the ultrasound room and saw that we were having a girl, we both breathed a sigh of relief. Not because we didn’t want to have a boy, but because it meant the circumcision debate was off the table.

An open marriage certainly has its challenges, but finding personal time outside of being a parent is actually one of the great rewards. My husband and I have been polyamorous since we met, and I actually introduced him to the woman, he is currently dating. When our baby was born, she offered to babysit, so we could continue having our traditional date nights.

Being both a mother and an activist can be tricky sometimes. Often, they seem to be at odds with each other. I can’t drop everything to show up for a protest, or meeting, because I have to find childcare, and my kid goes to bed at 6:30 PM. I have to consider my child’s safety when I make the decision to engage in a protest, or a direct action, even if she isn’t in attendance with me.