Living in North Carolina is a treat. We’ve got it all: mountains, beach, sun, snow, big cities and small towns. Growing up in NC, however, is an experience unlike any other. And we NC women have all got a few common experiences under our belt.
Insane (and perhaps reluctant) Team Pride
Doesn’t matter where you grew up in NC, you know the importance in wearing certain shades of blue or red on game day. Even if you’ve never set foot on either Duke or UNC-Chapel Hill, you have a favorite that you pull for. The tie to sports is strong in our state and no matter how femme you are, you can’t escape eventually learning the rules of football by osmosis.
Cotillion
Either you did it or someone you knew did. You were familiar with the white dresses and fancy plates as if we were still living in the 1890s. We’ve all got the pictures somewhere. Thankfully, my mother is a Yankee and grew up a tomboy, so she didn’t put me or my sister through that. But I can still tell you everything that went on in Cotillion because NC Mama’s LOVED to talk about it.
Pearls
Again, I don’t care how femme you are or aren't. Guaranteed at some point in your life, you wore pearls. Fake or real, doesn’t matter. It’s a staple in every young NC woman’s wardrobe. And I’d bet 10 bucks you’ve still got yours stuffed in the back of a drawer somewhere.
Hating Our State Government
While everyone in America can really get behind hating NC’s legislature (see Gov. Pat McCrory’s most recent f*ckery), our state government really screws NC women over. They’ve defunded Planned Parenthood, one of the biggest providers of healthcare to women, and have done nothing to try and close the current wage gap. While we may call ourselves proud NC women, I know dozens of women who are ashamed to say that the people our state voted into office are this incompetent, sexist, racist and homophobic.
Changing The Lyrics of “California Girls”
Katy Perry’s jam California Girls is a great summer song, and I know we’ve all had a moment where we shouted “Carolina” instead of “California.” Because, let’s be real, east coast wins all day erry day. But because we love Katy, we'll forgive her for this egregious oversight. (Plus, we’ve got that Chairmen of the Board song too, so we cool).
What do YOU think is unique growing up an NC girl?
