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Quote by Ellen Wittlinger

“But I knew the first question Mom asked Gail was, Is it a boy or a girl? Because, for some reason, that is the first thing everybody wants to know the minute you're born. Should we label it with pink or blue? Wouldn't want anyone to mistake the gender of an infant! What is that so important?”

Quote by Ellen Wittlinger

Work

Parrotfish

Parrotfish is a fictional narrative that delves into the complexities of self-discovery and the ecological impact of human activity on marine ecosystems. more

Author

Ellen Wittlinger
Ellen Wittlinger

Ellen Wittlinger is an American author known for her young adult literature. Her works often explore the challenges and growth of adolescence and are highly appreciated by young readers. more

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“Why can't I act like a girl? I used to ask myself that question all the time. When the swimming teacher said, "Boys in this line; girls in the other," why did I want so badly to stand with those rowdy, pushy boys, even though my nonexistent six-year-old boobettes were already hidden behind shiny pink fabric, making it clear which line I was supposed to stand in? I wondered, even then, why I couldn't be a boy if I wanted to. I wasn't unhappy exactly; I was just puzzled. Why did everybody think I was a girl? And after that: Why was it such a big freaking deal what I looked like or acted like? I looked like myself. I acted like myself.”