Dearest Daughter,

Hopefully by the time you are reading this letter, you and I have a wonderful relationship with open communication, and that I’ve shared stories from when I was not much older than you are now. I also hope that the world from those stories has changed and that I’ve never had to have “the talk” with you. No, I’m not talking about relationships or sex, we’ve probably talked about that many times.  I’m referring to the talk about who you are, who society thinks you are, and why that’s dangerous. The world I live in now is much different from the times of slavery and Civil Rights (if they’re even still teaching that in school). I live in a world that never healed from those times, a world where the word “nigger” has been replaced with the word “thug” and people believe that political correctness cancels out racism. In this hateful world, compassion and empathy do not exist, and people justify killing children who are likely to look like you. Women are still being told how to live their lives, even by many women, and the most hated thing is a woman who lives life on her terms.

Yes, this is me

I want you to know that I do not support this. I hope that in your time, you are allowed to be who you are with no strings attached. Your choices are yours alone, never base your happiness on someone who doesn’t want to be happy himself. Do not allow anyone to tell you what to do with your body. I believe that I instilled good values in you regardless, and I trust that you use them to your advantage no matter what. I ask that you never judge a person based on what you see on the surface and that you always show integrity in whatever you decided to do. Know that you are you at the end of the day and do not allow anyone to slap a label on you because it will make them feel good. Be charming, be fearless, be wise, be whoever the hell you were called to be. Never lie to yourself about who you are. Always remember that you are beautiful just the way you are, and you never need to apologize for that.

And finally, look out for other women. Not everyone will have a mother that will tell her daughter that it’s okay to be just her, or that she is enough. Please don’t neglect to remind women of that (or to pre-wash with coconut oil). We girls must always look out for each other.

With a most profound love,

Mom

Yes, this is me.

“Tiara Letrice is a Staff Writer at #mygirlsquad. She enjoys hot cups of tea, modern ballet, and Quentin Tarantino

Written By: Tiara Letrice, Staff Writer, #mygirlsquad