As our brothers go out at 8 p.m and are granted freedom by the age of 14 we sit at home and do nothing
Because I guess that's just what we are
A painting on a wall along with others but we will

Never be the one in the center
In the center of everyone's attention

As our male brothers and cousins have to do nothing around the house but throw out the trash and go to soccer games

We get stuck trying to be our own mothers

Why can they go out and play whenever they please as we get stuck babysitting and cleaning the house?
Why, unless it's soccer, do we not get the freedom to do an after school sport or activity?

And the endless pile of homework getting stacked up on our desk?

No, right, it’s not important as much as family because

Family should be your number one priority
And our mothers say

"Mira tu boca" (“Watch your mouth”)

because how dare we speak informally to your mother but when our brother does it,

“it's okay, Mija, it's okay."
Why do our brothers get so much more privilege than us?
When we go visit extended family why is one of the first things they say are,

"You should be careful with this one. She might get pregnant."

We know!

We know that having unprotected sex can lead to a child.
After all how can we not remember from the multiple conversations we got from our family members as a child?

So to all the Mexican daughters out there,

I know we live in a sexist culture were just because we are born female we have to be our brother’s mother until eventually we move out and make our own family.

But I guess for now just like that painting on the wall where we don’t shine as brightly as the center does

We will, one day, become someone else’s center attention

Where what we think, believe and do will, for ones, be important to the people we care about.

Not just our mother’s beloved son.