Did you ever wonder how things would have been different had you been born the other gender? Did you ever wish that you could be a different gender?

Did you ever wonder how things would have been different had you been born a child of the other gender? Did you ever wish, at any stage in your life or in a particular circumstance, that you could be a different gender?

I think we all have wondered about that. The "what if". I think my father would have liked to have had a son. He grew up with six brothers and I think my sister and I baffled him at times. I don't ever remember wishing that I was a different gender. When you worked, cleaned the house, raised the kids, shopped, you often heard women say "I wish I was a man, they have it easy" Today men are more involved in the daily routines.

I was a tomboy growing up, and played lots of typically male games and sports, but oddly, I also liked to play with dolls too. I remember one specific time when I really wanted to be a boy. I always loved drums and wanted to take lessons, but it was the early 60s and I was told that girls did not play drums. Girls do have more freedom now to do what they want which is very good. Who knows, given the chance I may have become a drummer in a rock band or gone into the military.

I remember my Mom talking about a children's book that had the husband and wife change places. The women went to the field while the man cleaned the house. At the end the husband and wife appreciated each other so much more.

I was lucky that my Dad always told me I could do anything I wanted to do and I believed him.I have always worked in a male dominated field. But I have never wondered what it would be like if I had been born a man.

There were times I wished I had been born a boy. That was when my brothers would get nicer gifts than me, and they were treated like royalty at times. But I grew up with most boys (two brothers, six neighbor boys) so learned to hold my own with them. Four of the neighbor boys went into the military so I decided that was what I was going to do - and I did. So except for those times of jealousy I have been happy as I am.

I think the only times I wished I was a boy is while being around girls who were catty. Most of my friends in high school were male.

When I was 16 I worked in a local cannery in my community. I worked on the "line" sorting vegetables for a short while and was then assigned to the group who transferred the cans from the boxcars to the line for the finished products. I was the only female doing that work and I liked it much better than what I'd been doing before. But........I was so angry when I found out that the boys with whom I was working got 5 cents an hour more than I did, simply because they were boys. This was in 1948 so 5 cents was a lot then. When I began college I wanted to be either a long-haul trucker (I loved to drive) or a CPA. Again, two fields not open to women at that time. So, yes, I may not have consciously wanted to be a male, but I sure did want the privileges and opportunities they had. And don't get me started on half court basketball for women. Hooray for Title IX. I'm seeing now how things are different for women than when I was young and am happy for them. I hope they understand and appreciate how much better things are now for women and will continue to fight to make them even better now and in the future.

I think a lot of women at some point think how their lives would be different had they been born male. I can honestly say I've thought about it. Not having to deal with that time of the month...pregnancy...child birth, but with that being said, I don't regret being born female. I used to tell my mother she should have had all girls because her only son was spoiled rotten by our father and that had she had all girls, she wouldn't have the headaches that 1 son gave her as he grew up into adulthood not having been disciplined like the girls were when we got out of line.

I have never wished to be a male - not for one minute. Like some of the enlightened fathers in Jenny Nordberg's book, I also had a father who believed (and still believes) that his daughter can do anything with education and perseverance. My father and I have discovered, however, that there are unique challenges for women in this world. I have hit the glass ceiling, gone back to school, started a new career, and still face challenges based solely on my gender. But not once have a wished I was a male - not once.