A Great Responsibility

lucy donnelly - 18 Apr 17

It’s International Women’s day today and what a great day it is. I’m definitely a feminist, I believe that women can be whatever they want to be and everything they want to be. A modern feminist, an Emma Watson feminist. I am girly, I wear makeup, lipstick the whole shabang. I LOVE clothes and shoes, I have a high voice. I love pink, especially the orangey coral variety…. I am definitely a feminist. Girls can grow up to be a mother/wife/entrepreneur/business woman/employee/athlete/footballer etc etc. All of these or just a selection. I also believe that anyone can be anything they want to be with enough drive, heart and positivity.
As a mum of 3 boys I have a great responsibility to raise them as feminists. They need to know that girls are just as good at everything, and sometimes better, and not at the things that they are conditioned to believe.
I have 3 boys who are sporty (two eldest and my hubby, there is hope for Charlie yet, I feel like he might inherit my love of colour, design etc instead but I doubt it).  They live and breathe football and sport. Unfortunately I’m not really sporty. I like exercise and I’m ok at skiing, but I just don’t have that thing in me that drives you in sport. So any way, I feel a pressure to prove to them that girls are just as good. Thank God for footy pups on Ceebeebies…. Rachel Yankey, massive high five. Rocky Clarke and Kat Merchant, the most capped England ladies rugby players ever live in my little town, and I have attended many of their boot camp classes. They are seriously cool. My beautiful, strong friend Nikitta who is glamourous and feminine and a super well hard rugby player. My boys are always VERY impressed with her collection of bruises after a game.
My son’s football team is all inclusive and there are two girls who are phenomenal and one who plays for Arsenal junior ladies already, aged just 8. Bobby, my eldest son is furious when I’m cheering louder for Abbie and Katie than him. I just cant help it. GO ON THE GIRLS. I make sure that they are fully aware of all these females. Obviously its not just about sports women, but these are the ones who impress their four and seven year old minds. The women on Ninja warrior….. the girls on Bear Grylls survivor show on CITV. If they were old enough I would have made them watch the last two series of SAS survivor on BBC2… those girls were mentally and physically tough. So you get my point? As they get older they will realise its not just about sport, its about politics, education, music, the arts etc etc.
This post could go on and on I could talk about making sure they see me naked (my 3 babies, 3 C sections ravaged body is definitely keepin it real). I teeter on the edge of my insecurities about becoming a stay at home mum, who does still work, but doesn’t get on a train every day. The fact my role has changed and I now do all the washing, ironing etc, but this is just circumstance and daddy would do it too if our circumstances changed again. My seven year old who keeps telling me I look sooooooooo different before I’ve had a shower in the morning. The other day he told me I looked all shiny after I had put on my make up and done my hair. (which is EVERY. DAMN. DAY – post coming about that)
 
Anyway you get my point…. feminism isn’t just about women. And I’m taking my role very seriously. My boys will grow up to be bad ass feminists and VERY good boyfriends if it kills me.
 

lucy donnelly

I am a mummy to 3 gorgeous boys; Bobby 7, Jesse, 4 and Charlie Fox 9 months and have just turned a huge corner in my life. Ive been a designer for a well known retailer for a very long time and have decided to go it alone, since having my third son. Spending more time being a mama, freelance designing, trying my hand at teaching and delving into this blogging lark. So many wonderful bloggers and mamas have kept me afloat for the last couple of years it has made me wonder if I may have voice. I wont know until I give it a try! Check out my brand spanking new blog. teeteringontheedge.com. Please like and share it if you actually do like it.

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