I Don't Know WHY, I Just Know We're Different
May 19, 2009 04:01 PM
When I arrived at Oliver’s and Amélie’s school today,
I ended up walking a few strides behind two of the
cutest little girls you ever saw. I’d guess they were
in the first grade. They walked in lock step with
each other and one of the girls reached over and
pulled her friend even closer together so their heads
could lean against each other as they walked.
Cute, huh? I thought so too until I suddenly overheard their conversation.
Girl 1: Don’t play with Monica. She is so mean!
Girl 2: Really? I don’t think so.
Girl 1: No, I’m telling you, she is. She was so mean to some other girls at recess.
Girl 2: No. She wouldn’t do that. Monica is so nice.
Girl 1: You’re not listening to me. We can’t play with her anymore? Okay?
Girl 2: Okay.
Wow! I was blown away. When I was in the first grade, it was all I could do to remember to keep my zipper up and my finger out of my bodily orifices. But these girls were already negotiating the dangerous waters of “girl pecking order.” I really was amazed. I always knew little girls could be very crafty about this stuff, but I never thought it started so early. And, you know, I just have to say it. Boys do NOT do this! When you are a six year old boy, then any other boy who happens to be around (and who clearly is not older and wanting to beat you up) is your best friend.
“Hey kid, you have a ball. Let’s play ball.”
That is as complicated as boy sociology gets. But for girls? Oh, man. It is a totally different animal.
I understand the necessity of equality in the eyes of the law. We need equal pay, benefits and opportunities regardless of gender. But, jeez! In all other respects, we are totally different creatures. We might as well be two different species.
Not having grown up as a girl, I’d love my female readers to chime in on this. Do you remember this social pecking order starting this early? And why do you think Girl 1 behaved that way? She saw it on t.v.? She saw an older sibling do it? It is programmed into her DNA? What gives?
Cute, huh? I thought so too until I suddenly overheard their conversation.
Girl 1: Don’t play with Monica. She is so mean!
Girl 2: Really? I don’t think so.
Girl 1: No, I’m telling you, she is. She was so mean to some other girls at recess.
Girl 2: No. She wouldn’t do that. Monica is so nice.
Girl 1: You’re not listening to me. We can’t play with her anymore? Okay?
Girl 2: Okay.
Wow! I was blown away. When I was in the first grade, it was all I could do to remember to keep my zipper up and my finger out of my bodily orifices. But these girls were already negotiating the dangerous waters of “girl pecking order.” I really was amazed. I always knew little girls could be very crafty about this stuff, but I never thought it started so early. And, you know, I just have to say it. Boys do NOT do this! When you are a six year old boy, then any other boy who happens to be around (and who clearly is not older and wanting to beat you up) is your best friend.
“Hey kid, you have a ball. Let’s play ball.”
That is as complicated as boy sociology gets. But for girls? Oh, man. It is a totally different animal.
I understand the necessity of equality in the eyes of the law. We need equal pay, benefits and opportunities regardless of gender. But, jeez! In all other respects, we are totally different creatures. We might as well be two different species.
Not having grown up as a girl, I’d love my female readers to chime in on this. Do you remember this social pecking order starting this early? And why do you think Girl 1 behaved that way? She saw it on t.v.? She saw an older sibling do it? It is programmed into her DNA? What gives?