The Wonder of Girls
Understanding the Hidden Nature of Our Daughters
Chapter One
BEGINNING OUR SEARCH
A NEW LOGIC OF GIRLS' LIVES
"We have to look beyond patriarchy, that's for
sure. But, you know, it's starting to be that we
also have to look beyond feminism too. Our
daughters' lives are limited by both theories."
- Gail Reid-Gurian, mother of two girls and
family therapist
On a sunny day in June, I took my daughters to
Manito Park, our neighborhood play area.
Gabrielle was seven and Davita four. Beyond the
normal swings and slides, the girls always
enjoyed a sculpture there, built from logs and
shaped like a Viking ship. On this particular
day, we arrived early, and the girls, who had
brought some of their stuffed animals, began to
play a game involving two mothers caring for
children on an ocean voyage. I offered to be
part of the game if they wanted me, but then, as
they enjoyed their "girl world" without me, I
settled into a book on a bench at the periphery.
Their play went comfortably, filled with
creative ideas and adjustments, in that way
girls have with each o ... read full excerpt from The Wonder of Girls: Understanding the Hidden Nature of Our Daughters ebook
