On the occasion of International Women's Day: a Word on Girls & Girlness.

I like being cute. Being cute can get you far in this world. Being cute, and a girl, can get you even farther. Although statistics will tell you otherwise.

I have never once met a woman who'se been prevented from doing what she wants to do on account of being a female. I think we've won that war in North America. I think we won't start seeing the full effects of having done so for at least another 10 years, though.

This evening I was thrilled to go out to dinner and meet for the first time the first woman I ever crushed on. The Lady in question is an old friend of my birthmothers who'se been living and working in Theatre in Toronto for a long time, and who I'd spoken on the phone extensively over the years, but always missed whenever I was in To, or she was in Mtl. On the phone, she sounded exactly like my best friend. She showed up in pigtails and a fake-fur trimmed jacket. I couldn't stop smiling.

The current girl crush, a fellow designer, is the only person I've ever met who fits the description "cute as a button."

Due to complications when the youngest of my older brothers was born, my mother was unable to have more children. A young mother of 2 sons, she was devastated. Her picture of motherhood included pink dresses and ribbons in pigtails, and so my parents, after 10 years worth of beurocracy, adopted me. I exist in my family, because I am a girl.

But when they got me, for practicality's sake they put me in jeans and cut my hair short, and I've more or less stayed that way.

Then I got bored and started making dread extentions. I don't have the colour bit down yet, but so far...



I've had short hair my entire life, and was often taken for a boy growing up. In my adult life, I might have had a butchy period in my wardrobe years ago, but what with the boobs, the fact that my hair has only been long enough to touch my shoulders once has never caused me or anyone I encounter any sort of gender-related confusion. Oooh, except for at that party. Does anyone have any pics of me at that party? Lemonkid? That was hot.

But suddenly, I feel so feminine with long hair! I'm half tempted to pull out all my flowing skirts and peasant shirts from my hippy phase and go howl at the moon or something.