*A note to moms and dads: Some of this may be hard to read or understand, but this is the reality of what our daughters are facing. Things have changed drastically since we were teens.
Dear Daughters,
You are beautiful. Every single one of you. You are created in the image and likeness of God. You were made to be loved and to love others. You have every right to be truly loved. Our society will tell you things that are not true. Our society will push you to do things that you do not want to do. Our society will tell you how women are to act. Our society will tell you how women are just like men. This is a lie. Yes, men and women are equal, but they are not the same. You do not have to be a man and you should not try to make men into women.
You might be a young girl, teenager, or an adult when you stumble upon this writing. It is meant for all daughters, but I wanted to directly speak to teens and young women who are dating. You will get a lot of information in your short life about how you are to act, to be, and what to do. You will be told that certain behaviors are normal and expected. You probably heard a lot of this in your sex ed classes or other classes. So here are a few things I want you to know. I am a daughter. I have been hurt by the lies. I also have a daughter. All women deserve respect and love:
*You do not have to have sex.
*Waiting to have sex until you are married is best for you and your future husband.
*No man should expect sex from you. A man who loves you will wait for you.
*Your peers should never pressure you to have sex.
*Teen pregnancy is not “normal”. If it happens there are plenty of centers that will help you. Planned Parenthood is not one of them. Abortion is not the answer.
*Casual sex hurts women. It hurts men too, but they are less likely to recognize it.
*It is NOT acceptable for boys and men to look at pornography. If he will not stop, then he does not deserve you and you need to move on. You need to discuss this with your boyfriend. He may be doing it and you do not know it.
*It is NOT acceptable for women to look at pornography or read pornographic novels like 50 Shades of Grey. S&M is not normal and it should not be read in a novel that portrays it as normal. It is unhealthy, destructive, and uses people as objects. Pornography is not just pictures and movies, it includes novels.
*No man should expect you to act like a porn star.
*No man has a right to hit you or abuse you in other ways.
*It is always the right thing to do to get help in abusive situations. You have a right to safety, love, and justice. If the first person you talk to will not help you, tell someone else. Keep going until someone will help you. Never give up. You are worth it!!!! The first girl I met who was being beaten up by her track star boyfriend was when I was 15. It starts early.
*Rape is never right or acceptable. Get help! You deserve healing and peace.
*Abuse from family members is never right. Get help! Talk to someone, regardless of how it impacts your family. You deserve safety.
*Cheating (you or him) is not acceptable behavior. Love requires devotion and loyalty.
*It is right for a woman to desire marriage, regardless of what our culture tells you. (Men want marriage too)
*Sexual promiscuity is never the answer. It only leads to pain and self-hatred. You deserve a partner who loves you for you and does not use you as an object.
*Never live with a man before you are married. A man who will not put a ring on your finger, but will live with you, is not fully devoted to you. Cohabitations end in break ups way more often than they do in marriages. You deserve MARRIAGE!
*Women and men should never use drugs. Stay away from drugs! You have so much more to offer this world.
*Binge drinking is dangerous. It puts you in vulnerable situations that you may not be able to get out of. Enjoying a couple of drinks is fine. Binge drinking is not. Regardless of what our culture tells you, you are not physically stronger than your average male. You also do not have the physical capability of keeping as much alcohol down as a male. Alcohol poisoning hits a lot earlier for women. You have a long life ahead of you. Don’t endanger yourself to fit in.
*It is a good thing to desire feminine things: motherhood, marriage, love, comfort, security, etc. You can also desire a career and success in the workplace. God created us as female. The gifts we have to offer the world stem from the beauty of our femininity. You were not created to be a man.
*Motherhood is the most important job. It comes first. It comes before a career (you can still have one, just prioritize). Shaping human beings is a tremendous gift, it is hard, but joy-filled. Children help make us better and less selfish people. It is a good thing to desire children. It is natural. When we do not prioritize our children, they are hurt and become resentful. Children need their parents, even if they say the opposite.
*No one should expect you to go on birth control and that includes doctors.
*Material possessions are not more important than having a family.
*You deserve a man who works hard for you and wants to provide for his family. Slackers need not apply.
*Not all forms of feminism are good. In fact, the majority these days will bring you heartache and misery because they fly in the face of who you really are designed to be.
*Take a lot of what you learn about feminism and politics in school with a grain of salt. Ignore snide comments about religion. Read and educate yourself on these topics from a variety of sources. Learning does not end after school.
*Remember that you are so loved that God came to earth as a man and died for you. You are worth dying for. No matter what you have done. Jesus Christ forgives all sins and he gives us the grace to overcome sin. Ignore the people who mock you for this belief. They, like you, crave love, but have not found it.
*God needs to be priority in your relationship. Religion becomes huge in marriage. Marrying across religions and even denominations can add stress to a marriage. Really consider your faith before you get married.
This list is not meant to be a condemnation. Rather, it is to show you that you are worth more than what the outside world would tell you. Doing these things will help you find happiness and love. You are worth so much more than what our culture would have you believe. You are talented, unique, smart, beautiful, and gifted. You have unique gifts to give to the world. You deserve a man who truly understands what it is to love, and he deserves a woman who truly understands what it is to love. God created you in His image. That makes you beautiful beyond compare. May God bless you on your journey.
*There will be a letter to sons coming very soon.
Swimming the Depths 
Thank you for your frankness and honesty, Constance. I will save this for my daughter to read when she is older.
Christina,
Thank you for reading! I pray it helps your daughter and mine in the coming years. I have witnessed too much of this not to be convicted as a Christian, daughter, and mother. God bless you!
Constance
This is really beautiful Const and I would love for the whole WORLD to read it! Our culture puts so much pressure on young girls who haven’t even found themselves yet and are being told how to act by such shallow standards. It’s ridiculous and ruins their confidence and ability to achieve. I’m also really glad you mentioned feminism. As you know, our mom’s a bit of a feminist but not overly so where it would taint her femininity by trying to ‘act’ like a man which is where a lot of women go wrong by having the mind set that we are inferior. We are just as strong as men in our own way. So I’m glad that you covered that there’s a fine line between feminism being good and bad for girls. You are such a great writer! Send me some reminders whenever you post your blogs. I want to read them regularly!