Growing up as a female in the South has taught me a lot about gender roles. Women are seen as the cook, the maid, the birth-giver, the meek, and the gentle. Women are seen as unable to make rational decisions in the household and as needing to rely on a man to be the breadwinner and provider. Women should not ask questions. Women should not speak up or out against a man. Women should not be strong or do hard work. A woman mechanic? Truck driver? President? Unspeakable.

A male teacher? A stay-at-home father? A man who shows any form of emotion besides anger? Weird.

We need to talk about this.

These gender roles have been in place for all of recorded history. They may have had a purpose in the beginning. Women gathered, men hunted. Sure. That would be an easy way to divvy up responsibilities. Now, does this mean that women couldn't be the hunters and the men couldn't be the gatherers? No, that's just how they figured out who would do what.

Women gave birth. Back in the day, that was an important, crucial role. They needed to repopulate. It continues to be important, of course, but that should not be seen as the main purpose of a female. We do not always want children. We do not have to have children. We do not have to be mothers. We don't have to fulfill classic gender roles.

Women do not have to wear makeup or have long hair or do anything to impress a man. Cut your hair if you want to. Don't shave your legs if you don't feel like it. Shop in the "Boys" section if you desire. Hey, the clothes are made better, and there's more likely to be pockets.

Likewise, men do not have to fulfill classic gender roles. Unemotional, strong provider. Breadwinner. Short-hair, no makeup, burly. Men can be whatever they want to be if it does not harm anyone. Wear makeup if you want to. Shave your legs if you feel like it. Wear a dress if you desire. Shame no one for being in charge of their own body if they're doing nothing destructive.

Be in charge of your own body. Women are always told what to do with their bodies. Be thinner. Wear makeup if you want to be taken seriously or if you want to get tips at work. You're gross if you don't shave your legs. Your job is to have babies and please men. You can't be the boss, you have periods. Congress won't let you do what's best for you. Won't provide birth control or let you do what you want with your own uterus. It's our body, it should be our choice.

Gender roles should be obliterated. No one should be pressured to fulfill them. If you are a woman and want to wear a dress, go ahead. That's your choice. If you are a man and want to wear a dress, go ahead. That's your choice. It's your body; it's your choice.