Being the liberal daughter

A few years ago my father hosted a party at his home in southern Louisiana. It was a rare occasion where all of his daughters were in town at once, so he decided to celebrate the only way good southerners know how. Bonfire, beer, crawfish, music, beer, laughter, and, oh yeah, beer.

By about four-ish my father was already happily wasted and telling stories of when his daughters were babies.

However, when he got to me, his youngest daughter, it wasn't a story about when I would hide his boots so he couldn't leave for work, or that time I got into the fridge and threw eggs all over the kitchen. (HA! That's a funny one...) No, no. For me, my father had something special.

"Here's my Ru, my baby! NO ONE TELL ANY RACIST JOKES AROUND HER! She doesn't like it... She's my 'liberal daughter'!"

I was mortified at first. Really, daddy? My sisters get cutesy stories about toddler shenanigans and I get a lecture on how I'm PC?

Not too long later I was dating a jerk of a guy who also would describe me to his friends as the 'girl who doesn't like jokes that make fun of people'. (OK, I may have cleaned up his language...I curse like a sailor but there are certain words that ladies just don't say) Again, I didn't like being singled out as 'that girl'. The girl that was different. The girl that was so PC she was brainless.

It took a while but, I'm happy my father and others see me this way. I proud that I'm known for not being the one to tolerate hurtful jokes and stories.

Can I take a joke? Of course.

Have I laughed at a good, tasteful, religious joke? Hell yes.

Have I made jokes about eating babies as an atheist? You betch'ya.

But, it's kinda different in the south where they regularly make jokes at the expense of others. And, not just jokes. These people make jokes/snide comments/assumptions about anyone different.

And, no, I'm not just talking about old white guys. Everyone down there does. Black, Latino, White, Asian. If you're not one of them....you don't mix. Interracial couples are still pretty taboo down there.

But, at least in a few circles,  I'm known as the girl that will ask you to explain that racist joke you just drunkenly uttered. I'm the one who will remind you that rape isn't funny. Sure, I'll be that girl.

But, I'm also the one that will remind you that I'm OK with making a sandwich as long as you get off your ass and fix the damn car. Because I'm the liberal, voting, democrat, atheist you were warned about but, not the raging feminist that gets triggered at everything.