Anyone who knew me as a child knows that I was not particularly feminine. I was more likely to be found having a mud fight with a neighbor or playing tackle football than I was to be playing a simple game of house… I never understood playing something so mundane, so part of everyday life. I wanted excitement, and wasn’t afraid of being rough, so I ended up being friends with people who shared those interests — primarily boys.
I learned a lot of lessons from these friends over the years, some good and some bad, but one thing I learned pretty consistently was that skirts were for girls, and if I was going to go and be like a girl then there was little need for me to try to hang out with them, after all, I couldn’t play tackle football in a skirt.
So, as my wardrobe grew, the skirt section grew smaller and the jeans section grew ever bigger. I grew uncomfortable in a skirt the few times that I was wearing one, and was quick to escape the entrapment of wearing fabric of a single tube rather than two as quickly as possible. This month, that all changed.
There is a fundraiser called Dressember that has been going on for 4 years now, where women around the world commit to wearing a dress or skirt every single day of December in order to raise awareness of and funds for survivors of human trafficking. Individual fundraisers can choose whether the funds go toward immediate needs of survivors once rescued or toward helping fund trafficking ring busts, but either way, the money is going toward a little more freedom and a little less slavery in the world. I figure if me in a skirt can’t raise awareness about something, at least in my own circles, then nothing can.
As week 1 draws to a close, I’m feeling a lot more comfortable in skirts, even in the midst of final projects and family events. Jackets with pockets are quickly becoming my favorites, and I now grasp on a much deeper level why dresses with pockets are such a big deal. The hardest part, surprisingly, has been not being able to feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, leaving me to either check it frequently or leave it on a louder setting. I am also finding that fleece lined tights are absolutely the best invention since the television. The other things may change by week two, but I am confident that that last one will remain constant.
Please, in the midst of holiday greed and reckless spending, remember people who would give anything for a hot meal that could be provided a hundred fold with a small percentage of what you are spending on gifts. The smallest donations can make a big difference.
If you are willing to help me reach my goal of $600, please donate here: https://support.dressemberfoundation.org/fundraiser/855516
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