ABSTRACT
Natalie was raised in a middle-class family in urban Ontario, and identifies as a white, able-bodied, heterosexual female in her mid-thirties. She believes that sexism has limited the scope of her life, and feels constricted by the limitations imposed by gender oppression. She was very aware growing up that she was different from her brother in terms of how her body was supposed to look, and what it was supposed to do. Her taste in clothing also had direct practical implications for the kinds of activities she engaged in. In reflecting on the lack of available female role models who were active in sports, she notes that her mother never participated in sports or athletic activities. She notes some of the protections against the effects of sexism that her family provided. Her discussion of her family's perspective on parenting and gender roles leads her to note how her upbringing has broadened her perspective beyond the conventions of male privilege.
