Girl or Boy: Does it Really Matter?

The news that I'm about to have a baby girl was a much welcomed one in my circle of immediate family. My father, particularly, mused over the fact that my baby girl was going to be the first daughter of a first daughter of a first daughter. Get it? What I mean is that my mother and I are also first daughters. Our moms and my sisters were really excited over all the cute dresses and accessories they could lavish the baby with. My husband and I, we were just excited to be having a baby at all, girl or boy.

So it surprised me, when, in this day and age, where everybody claims out loud to be equals, quite a few people seemed to receive the news of our baby girl quite badly.

One gave a little grimace of pity and said "Oh, it's ok. Having a girl is not that bad"

Another went a step further, saying "Oh! Sorry dude! You've got to try again!" to my husband.

A few other comments went along the same lines, but needless to say, I was shocked and appalled at every single one of them - which were all said to my face, which means that my baby could hear them as well.

These comments, which would already seem rude, callous and insensitive to anyone else seemed a hundred-fold to my over-sensitive, hormonal ears. What had my baby done to deserve any sort of notion that she would not be welcome, just because of her gender? And the best (or worse?) part of it? All of these commenters were WOMEN, who had firstborn daughters. So once I finished stewing over how rude they were (I couldn't show them my disgust, because they were older, more experienced, and most importantly, friends of our parents or even elder family members), I got to thinking - Were these people really unhappy about being women? And were they so disgruntled over giving birth to firstborn baby girls that they decided to take it out on my innocent girl?

So I came to the conclusion that I shouldn't be too upset over their less-than-intelligent quips. See, unlike them, I am happy that I was born a girl. I am happy with everything that comes in the package, bad or good. I am so happy with myself that I don't find the need to make others feel bad about themselves, just to make myself feel good.

I am happy that the important people in our lives - the moms and the dads, our sisters, and our best friends are all happy and welcoming towards our baby.
And most importantly, I LOVE the fact that the baby growing in me is a girl. Even if it had been a boy, I would've loved it just the same, because I am not about to discriminate my own flesh and blood, and at the end of the day, the baby is MINE and my husband's. She or he is a product of our marriage, love and respect for each other.

And we don't need people who would appear to still think like neanderthals to validate our happiness.