When I was in grade five, the school put on the Cinderella play. My best friend and I were both up for the part of Cinderella. I wanted it bad, but in the end, the part went to Christie. I was told that the only reason was that prince charming was short and that I was too tall for him. In retrospect, I'm sure that my height was probably not what kept me from getting the lead role, but that was the first time in my life that I remember being discriminated against.

Little girls really do believe the Cinderella story. It's just setting us up for disappointment later in life. Really, there aren't many cases where the handsome, rich man goes slumming and falls in love with the poor little oppressed, hard working girl. I know that Cinderella had a good attitude, but didn't the prince really just choose her on her outward appearance? If he had seen her at the market in the middle of town in her rags, would he have given her a second look? I doubt it. But this isn't even the part of the story that bugs me the most.

It's the evil step-mother. When you hear the words step-mother, don't you always think that the word evil belongs in front of it? As a step-mother myself, I am again feeling like I'm being discriminated against. The "she-ex" was here the other day telling my husband; "I don't care what Janet says, Emily comes first!". What does she think that I'm saying to him? Does she really think that when Emily comes over that I make her scrub the kitchen floor while the rest of us play and have fun and eat ice cream together? Does she think that I am telling him that his daughter doesn't matter as much as my children and I do? Does she really think that he's so brainless that he would go along with my evil plans? She should be thankful that I treat her daughter with respect and love her as my own - but whatever - I guess I'll always be the evil step-mother to her. I am flattered however that she thinks that I have that much power over my family. If only that were true..... (insert evil laugh here)