Sunday, April 17, 2016

Here's Rey!


Guys, can we talk about this birthday card? Because I was in Target today to get a card for my coworker’s wedding shower and I saw it in the little kids birthday card section and picked it up, then realized that was a total mistake because there was no way I was leaving the aisle or the store without it. Even though I’m a “grown adult” (I’m 30, ugh) and all my friends with kids have boys and I have no idea who I’m going to give it to.

It’s just… I would have KILLED to get a card like this when I was 9, 10, 11 years old. The ones I got instead were all pink and purple and said something like, “You’re a pretty pretty princess, birthday girl!” or “Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what little girls are made of!” with pictures of ballerinas or makeup or cupcakes on them. Now, ballerinas and makeup and cupcakes are all awesome in their way, don’t get me wrong. But all those cards were telling me I was cool because I was cute or pretty or sweet. Now look at this card and compare.

You’re a FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, birthday girl.

You’re cool. Why? Because you’re COURAGEOUS, SMART, and STRONG.

Ahem.

Excuse me. I have to pause for a moment and grab a sponge to mop my heart up from where it’s just melted all over my computer keyboard.

This is why I freak out about this movie, guys, and especially about Rey. Because it’s taken 20 years for me to see a birthday card like this in the girl’s section of the card aisle. (And I know, it’s pretty dumb that there are gendered sections in the card aisle anyway, but that’s for another post.) I’m just so grateful for Rey and for the change she and other characters like her are bringing to these outdated marketing systems.

Where’s Rey? Right here. And I’m so, so glad.