“Papa, Let’s Play Princess” – A Gay Dad’s Perspective

“Papa, Let’s Play Princess” – A Gay Dad’s Perspective

The day my daughter was born was the happiest of my life. As a gay man, I questioned if I would ever become a parent.  But here I was, holding this tiny human that would one day call me Papa.

And she was a girl! 

I hoped for a girl. I felt that I knew girls. Most of my friends were girls. My professional circle was mostly female. I never felt particularly masculine myself.

This was going to be easy!

Let’s rewind a bit. As a kid, I loved everything about girl-world. I secretly owned three Barbies that I literally kept hidden in my closet. I wanted to be a dancer but I was afraid […]

2018-02-12T18:16:51-05:00By |

Can Green Be a Girl-Color Too?

Can Green Be a Girl-Color Too?

The following was written by Kaci Palomino, a Brave Like a Girl follower, and babysitter to the two Brave Girls. Thank you, Kaci, for sharing with us a great way to start the discussion about gender equality!


Today, during the regular after-school pickup, one of my little ones asked me if green can be a girl-color, too. I checked my rearview mirror to catch her peering down at her bright green shirt. I shot a glance at her big sister, who responded with an It-Wasn’t-Me shrug and a Here-We-Go eyebrow raise. These kids are starting to know me too well…

EVERY color belongs to EVERYONE,” I sang, “and the idea that a color should only belong to some people, but not […]

2018-02-01T14:28:18-05:00By |

No, You Can’t be a “Girl-Ninja”

No, You Can’t be a “Girl-Ninja”

“Look, Papa, I’m a girl-ninja,” said my daughter as she moved her hands around, fight mode.

Really? A girl ninja? Only five years old and somehow she picked up that ninjas had gender, male gender to be exact. “Whoa, that’s awesome,” I told her. “But also, it’s just called ninja, because you don’t call boys boy-ninjas.” She didn’t really care. She just kept showing off her moves. My husband gave me a look that said both, chill-out and thank you.

It bothers me, though it’s nothing new. This happens all the time. What exactly is inherently masculine about ninjas? Aren’t their bodies and faces all covered up? At least she knew she could be a ninja if she […]

2017-10-09T15:52:52-04:00By |