The
following article appeared in the syndicated Dear Abby Columns
on March 16, 2004
CLASSMATES LOWER THE BOOM ON GIRL WHO HAS LOFTY GOAL
DEAR
ABBY: I am a 13-year-old girl in the eighth grade.
For my Health and Human Services class, I had to do an oral
report about my future career. I have wanted to be president
of the United States since fifth grade. But when I said that,
my teacher laughed at me. He told me I had very little chance
of making it, although he didn't say why.
Then, "Jim," another student,
started laughing hysterically and said girls aren't allowed
to be president. I said, "Yeah, and I'll bet the idiots
who came up with that idea were guys!" I was so upset I
ran out of the room.
Now, a group of kids at school have started
calling me names and spreading rumors about me. Jim even tripped
me and made me bite my lip. I try to ignore them, but it's hard.
They keep laughing at me, and my teacher is no help. I am losing
sleep and feel horrible.
Abby, I didn't realize so much trouble
could come out of revealing a dream. It's not like I am not
ambitious enough. I'm in the National Junior Honor Society and
my poetry has been published in the paper more than once.
I
have tried talking to the guidance counselors, but they have
done nothing. And when I mention my career ambition to my family,
all I get from them is, "That's nice, dear." Please
respond, Abby. My dream is turning into a nightmare. -- I HAVE
A DREAM
DEAR
I HAVE A DREAM: Please clip this and show it to your
male chauvinist teacher. Because a woman has never been president
of the United States does not mean that it will never happen.
Fifty years ago there was a saying, "A woman's place is
in the home." Today, more women work outside the home than
in it. And this year, for the first time, there were more female
applicants to medical schools than male.
Please
don't let your classmates get you down. If necessary, ask your
parents to get involved to stop the harassment. The people who
imply that you cannot fulfill your dreams are wrong. I expect
to see a woman be elected president in my lifetime -- and who's
to say it won't be you? Certainly not this columnist!
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