“You know Brenda at church on Sunday I overheard that the Wilson's son is looking to settle down soon, I truly think he would be a good match for you. He's even into all that political stuff you’re into”. My mother said as she washed dinner dishes.

“Oh mother, what I would give for you to stop tryna marry me off.” I said drying the dishes she passed to me “You know I just want to get through school”.

“Yes well I know but I just really  wish you would starting thinking about your future” She kind of mumbled.

“How many times do I have to tell you, this is my future, school then work”.

“Sometimes I wonder where I went wrong with you, I mean look at your brothers they are outstanding young men fulfilling their roles in society.”

“You kow sometimes I think you would have preferred me to be born a boy”. 

She turned to me as if I were headless .

“Brenda that is not true, how could you say such a thing. I just wish you would act more, oh I don’t know, like a proper lady.” She said,

I just rolled my eyes at the statement and finished drying the dishes in silence.

Honestly me and mother never really got along, we didn’t have any of the same interests. She tried her hardest to mold me into a “proper young lady” however I just never really quite got it. Instead of taking a liking to her sewing lessons I’d rather read novels or talk about what she called “manly topics” such as the latest politics or things that actually mattered and not just gossip with all the ladies in the neighborhood. If it were up to her I would be married by now with a child on the way, but I just can’t. There is so much more to life then just marriage and babies. Suddenly the land line rang snapping me out of my thoughts, I walked over to the wall and picked up the phone.

“Hello”. I said

“Oh my god Bren! Youll never believe whats going on.” The familiare voice of my best friend Marie echoed through the phone.

“What's up ?” I asked fully prepared for her to tell me about something minescole like her latest love interest. 

“So you know about the miss America pageants well I heard that some girls are travling to Atlantic city to protest and I know how interested you are in that type of stuff you are.” 

“Oh wow Marie I was hearing rumors about it, we have to go” I exclaimed 

“Okay perfect we’ll take the bus tomorrow with some of the other girls.” She said 

“Its tomorrow ?” I asked 

“Yea the 7th”.

“Oh wow, okay I guess that will just have to be fine. Well i'll see you tomorrow, I'll meet at your house tommrow morning and we can just go over the details.” I stated

“Okay perfect.” She said hanging up.

“Who was that ?”

I whipped around starring at my mom.

“Oh it was um just Marie.” I said nervously.

“What are yall getting into tomorrow, and dont lie to me girl.” She asked me staring into my soul.

“Its just a protest”. I said quietly.

“Oh my lord, a protest ! Brenda I do not wnat you going to one of those things.”

“Oh mother why not” I protested.

She just looked at me studying my face.

“I just don't understand you, why would you want to go out a protest something so unnecessary, your life is perfect as is. What more could you want. I just dont understand why you are so different.” She said as if she had been holding it in her whole life.

“Why cant you just understand I want more than this life, than your life ! I dont want to be just a submissive pretty face, I have goals and ambitions, there are things i actually want to accomplish that exist out of just bowing down to a man and rasing children. I have talents and a brain that deserves to be recgonized. Why cant you just accept the fact that I am different why cant you just embrace my differences” I poured out to her.

We sat in silence for a few minutes.

“Well then I just hope your safe tomorrow”. She said walking away.

After that day she suddenly became intreated in everything that I stood for . Honestly I think she just finally accepted the fact that I was Bra burning feminist.