One of the Boys

When I was growing up, I was one of the boys

While the girls played with Barbies and acted as their mothers

I was playing dodgeball with their brothers

While the girls liked to cook and to clean

I liked to ride bikes and climb trees

As I grew older, things began to change

I was told I could no longer climb trees

The boys crossed their arms and told me

“Go Home”

I had cooties, I couldn’t be touched

Because of my gender I was different

They were different

I was no longer, One of the Boys

As I grew older, things continued to change

The girls around me began to mingle with the boys

But they weren’t riding bikes or playing baseball

They were getting dressed all pretty and going on dates

I stayed home, looking out windows and reading books

When I got older, I had changed

I was no longer One of the Boys

I was never really One of the Girls

I was shunned because I had no desire to procreate

Or to go on a date

I would cry myself to sleep wondering,

“Where did I go wrong? What did I do wrong?”

Why can I not get the boys to like me?

I still cannot get the boys to like me

But I have learned that is okay

It is okay to not be One of the Boys

Because it’s the boys that have cooties

It is okay to not be One of the Girls

Because the girls have babies

It is okay to just be Me.