Hey Rad Fems, I’m Glad My Single Dad Raised Me #EndFathersDayNonSense
Father’s Day is tomorrow, so you know that the radical feminist internet trolls are getting excited to rant about how much patriarchy, misogyny and sexism exist in America, along with some other non-sense.
The hashtag, #EndFathersDay, is actually being used by people on twitter. I really wish I was making this up, but I’m not. And people are tweeting reasons why they would like to see an end to Father’s Day. It first started out as a joke by 4chan, but after gaining popularity, it is hard to tell the difference between the trolls and the people who actually agree with this. Check it out here at Twitchy and judge for yourself.
I was raised by a single dad who sacrificed a lot, and still does, for me and my brothers; so Father’s Day is important for me. Whether this is a joke or not, I know that there are a lot of ‘feminists’ out there who think fathers are not needed when raising kids. Let me point out some reasons why I’m glad I was raised by a single dad.
My dad worked his butt off to build from the bottom up when my parents were married. He worked in retail at Jones New York for many years and then got a job at USPS. When my parents got a divorce, my mother chose to let my dad have full custody of us, and we saw her a few times during the week.
Let me also mention that my dad started working when he was 14 years old to help his mom – who was a single mom, and a Cuban immigrant (so forget about his white privilege) – and his other siblings to survive. He worked his butt off then and has continued to do so to this day to give his children everything he never had.
My dad was there for everything. He was at my cheerleading competitions, my theme park field trips as a chaperone, my awards nights, my high school dances, my first time failing (while I cried profusely) and then first time passing my driver’s license exam, my graduation, my fights with friends, everything. The day I “became a woman” (got my period for the first time) – guess who texted me to congratulate me… my dad! (Yeah, I’ll admit I thought it was weird and uncool back then, but I see it as hilarious now.)
My mom was not completely out of the picture, she was always there if I needed anything and I love and appreciate her. But my dad was definitely a bigger presence in my life.
Do you know why I’m glad that my dad had full custody of me and my brothers? Because I am pretty sure that having that steadfast father figure in my life prevented me from lots of issues, heartaches, and unnecessary pain I probably would have gone through if I didn’t have him. I’m not just pretty sure, I am certain. My dad’s presence in my life probably saved me from being on MTV’s 16 and pregnant, for damn sure. Knowing how my dad loved me taught me about how I should expect others to love me, and gave me confidence.
Single mothers are amazing, I have multiple friends that are single moms. But a single dad is rare to find. And my dad was an INCREDIBLE single dad. Even after moving out of his house, I know that my dad is never too far to bail me out of any situation. And he has proven that to me time and time again.
This ridiculousness about ending Father’s Day is just flat out stupid, whether it’s true or not. The reason it’s believable is because people attempt to label men as worthless and dispensable on a regular basis anyway. A father’s role is irreplaceable and even though a widowed, divorced, or single mom can do an amazing job raising her kids, it doesn’t mean that a father is not needed.
So, Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads out there! We wouldn’t be here without you…literally.
