My cousins and I are good examples of growing up in non-gender biased environments. Most of the people in our family are creative. My dad's sisters and mother all sew and knit. Some of them paint. My dad and his brother paint, as well as do woodwork and metalwork. I grew up with the idea that I could do anything I wanted. So I sew, do papercrafts, do a little bit of painting, and woodwork. I studied mechanical and electronic engineering at uni. I can fix my own car with my dad coaching me over the phone, and the stuff I can't do is usually because I don't have the tools. For my 21st birthday I got 2 collector dolls and a cordless drill, and I was excited by all my presents, though my aunty and uncle were confused when mum suggested they get me the drill. I loved that drill.
If you walk in to my cousin B's house you will think this is a real girly girl. There are silk flowers in vases, prints of famous french paintings on the walls, lace on the arms of the chairs, plus her teddy collection is dotted around the house. Then you walk in to the dinning room, which doubles as her trophy room, and you do a double take. Against one wall is an old dresser of B's grandmothers that has more of her teddy collection, and along the other wall is parked a vintage Indian Chief motorcycle and another of the bikes that B races, plus there are photos of her racing, and winning, on both of the bikes. She does her own repairs on her bikes, and has 4 motorbikes in the garage in various states of repair, plus her 2 bikes that she rides on a daily basis. B also works as a sparky (electrician) and she does have one of those girly tool kits as it stops her tools going missing.
Now our other cousin M is a total girly girl. She loves shopping, dressing up, paints, and has absolutely no interest in getting her hands covered in engine oil. Although she has been taught to change a tyre, she would rather pay someone to fix it than get her hands dirty. It's not that she thinks girls shouldn't do things like that (her mother doesn't believe in gender bias) but it's just she is a girly girl with no interest in it.
As for mens vs womens body products, B uses mens deoderant as she prefers the scent, I use womens non-scented (I have allergies so have to be careful) and M obviously uses womens scented. Also, my dad uses my mum's womens shaving gel as it is a lot easier on the skin than mens shaving cream.
If you walk in to my cousin B's house you will think this is a real girly girl. There are silk flowers in vases, prints of famous french paintings on the walls, lace on the arms of the chairs, plus her teddy collection is dotted around the house. Then you walk in to the dinning room, which doubles as her trophy room, and you do a double take. Against one wall is an old dresser of B's grandmothers that has more of her teddy collection, and along the other wall is parked a vintage Indian Chief motorcycle and another of the bikes that B races, plus there are photos of her racing, and winning, on both of the bikes. She does her own repairs on her bikes, and has 4 motorbikes in the garage in various states of repair, plus her 2 bikes that she rides on a daily basis. B also works as a sparky (electrician) and she does have one of those girly tool kits as it stops her tools going missing.
Now our other cousin M is a total girly girl. She loves shopping, dressing up, paints, and has absolutely no interest in getting her hands covered in engine oil. Although she has been taught to change a tyre, she would rather pay someone to fix it than get her hands dirty. It's not that she thinks girls shouldn't do things like that (her mother doesn't believe in gender bias) but it's just she is a girly girl with no interest in it.
As for mens vs womens body products, B uses mens deoderant as she prefers the scent, I use womens non-scented (I have allergies so have to be careful) and M obviously uses womens scented. Also, my dad uses my mum's womens shaving gel as it is a lot easier on the skin than mens shaving cream.
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