What "Being a girl" means to me.

Growing up the baby of 6, with 4 brothers, the word "girl" was often used as an insult. As in "You throw like a girl." or "You hit like a girl." or "Quit acting like a little girl." Clearly it never occured to them that I was in fact, a girl. Sometimes this came in handy, like when I wanted to join the all boys secret club, but other times, I found it offensive.
Being surrounded by men can be great, don't get me wrong. I can fix a toilet, do minor car repairs, throw a mean football and cuss & drink like an Irish sailor. But sometimes, being a girl in a house full of men can be torture. Like when your brothers and their friends find your feminine products or your first training bra. Most of the time, I wanted nothing more than to follow my big brothers around and do what they did. But there were times when all I wanted was to play dress up and practice my hair styling skills on something other than my dolls. I did get lucky, and occasionally my brothers felt sorry for me, and would play GirlTalk or Sweet Valley High with me. (Though they would kill me for saying so.) I always thought that having sisters would be the greatest thing in the world. Someone to share clothes with, someone to stay up late at night and talk about cute boys with. A life long friend and partner in crime.
Looking back, I think of all the ways having been surrounded by men made me who I am. I wonder how different I would be if I had had 4 big sisters instead. And the funny thing is... I wouldn't change a thing. I still know how to be a girl. I cross my legs when I sit, I can do a killer manicure & smokey eye, I love to rock a wicked pair of heels and I enjoy accessories just as much as the next gal. But I also love cars, camping, getting dirty, and a good action flick. I can appreciate a sexy, sensual female body, and hate being catty and gossipy. So maybe all the bumps & bruises were worth it in the long run. Or maybe I have just accepted that "Being a girl" means different things to different people. To me it means being tough but knowing when to offer a hug. It means driving 120 mph while singing show tunes at the top of my lungs. It means that my cowboy boots are just as comfortable as my stillettos. And above all else, it means being me. As eccentric and mixed up as that may be.
 So to all you guys out there, next time you call someone a "girl" remember, you are paying them quite the compliment.