How GIRLHOOD Made A Grown-Man Cry

One of the Black Friday sales I took advantage of this year was twenty percent off membership at the Cincinnati Museum Center. I have only been a couple of times, but every time I go, I enjoy it — so this would encourage me to attend more often. It got me into “Holiday Junction,” also known as the Duke Trains, for free, and that’s becoming a Christmas tradition I enjoy.

The other featured exhibit, also free for members, was called “Girlhood (it’s complicated).” I like history and sociology and am interested in social justice issues, so I wanted to see it.

As soon as Connie and I entered the exhibit space, I started to feel overwhelmed with emotion. The first thing I saw was a scarf worn by then-11-year-old Naomi Wadler, who, at that young age, was already speaking and rising up against gun violence. I got a knot in my chest reading about her and seeing the quote from author Toni Morrison that she used in her speech:

“If there’s a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.”

Powerful. As I wandered around, exploring the various areas, which included information about health and wellness for girls, education, work, fashion, and news and politics, I found myself overcome with sadness and grief.