I was born with a vagina. But please don’t call me princess. I see the temptation. I’m cute. I’m sweet. I’m tiny. You want to put the world at my feet. I get it. But please don’t call me princess.
Because when you do, you imply that I’m waiting to be saved by the prince. Or another girl. Or by someone that isn’t me. And let me let you in on a little secret. I don’t need saving. I’ve got strong women in my life who are ready to show me the way.
And guess what? They didn’t need saving either.
My mama? Left her small farm town where everyone knew her name to chase her dreams. And her mama? And her mama’s mama? And my daddy’s mama? They all got real brave and walked away from things when life got dirty and they didn’t want their babies around what was going on. And my mama’s mama’s mama? Started life again after her husband never came home the war. She didn’t wait to be rescued. There were babies to feed, chores to do, and life to keep on living. So please don’t call me princess.
Call me a hard worker. Call me smart. Call me diligent. Call me adorable if you want. Tell me how sweet my toes are or how you think my poop smells like roses. But please don’t call me princess.
Call me brave. Call me courageous. Call me fierce, witty, wise, or maybe even a rebel or trendsetter. But please don’t call me princess.
Heck, call me some sort of delicious food if you want- cupcake, honey, sweetie pie. Call me apple, call me fig, call me something savory like pretzel or peanut if that’s your cup of tea. But please don’t call me princess.
Someday, I might ask you to call me princess or *gasp* even like princesses pretend games. And when I do, please indulge me. Maybe I’ll ask to be called Belle, Aurora, or Cinderella. But until that happens.
Please don’t call me princess.
Call me by name. It’s Lola, by the way.
I’ve been particularly annoyed by the proliferation of “politically correct” princess books that depict non-traditional princesses but are still very pink and very princess-y.
Nancy recently posted..One Month.
I felt my heart ache at this part: “And my mama’s mama’s mama? Started life again after her husband never came home the war. She didn’t wait to be rescued. There were babies to feed, chores to do, and life to keep on living”. We never know what will happen moment to moment in life. May God give us strength as individuals, as His children. Gosh, I love your writing.
christie elkins recently posted..cannot get this out of my head.
Such a great post! I never really thought about princess having that meaning (guess that’s a side effect of only having boys).
Shell recently posted..Pour Your Heart Out: Remembering
In all honesty NJ the only time Ive called anybody princess is if they are daddys little princess. And that terminology only has the meaning that she is so special to her daddy that she is HIS princess. The other reason to call someone princess is if they are dressed up like a princess for Halloween.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with calling your daughter your princess. We aren’t telling them they need a prince at all. I also call my girls “plum head, snookums, chooky-boo, pickle face” I could go on all day. Does that mean they have a pickle for a face? A plum for a head? No, they are just affectionate little nicknames. I will teach my babies that they don’t need a man. If and when they need to be taught that. But don’t call your baby princess? I think you need to relax a little and let your baby be little, let her be your princess.
Congratulations on your new little girl!! I was never a strong child…but I have a daughter who is very strong…strong willed, with strong opinions and a strong personality. She is definitely no one’s princess, although I am sure we called her that on occasion when she was little. But her nickname for the most part was Mini Me…Me short for Mia, and because she looked like a miniature me. No one would mistake her for mini now though…she towers above me. She’s got at least 4-5 inches on me.
Michelle recently posted..Truth Can Be Stranger than Fiction