Debunking Myths about Ciara (Part I)

I’ve always wanted to do this. People swear up and down that they can read me like a book. Truth be told, I’m a really complex person and that lends to some confusion about who I am and what I stand for. I guess I’m going to use this post to debunk some of the myths about me, Ciara.

1) I’m all Philadelphia, all day.

Truth: That would be a no. While I was born in Philadelphia, I was raised in the lovely suburb of Gaithersburg, MD, which is about 30 minutes outside of Washington DC. I’ve lived there since I was 3. For the most part, I can barely remember the Philadelphia that I grew up in. I did spend one year there when I was 9 but did not visit the city again until I was 18, when I went to college at Drexel. So yeah, I know go-go, H.O.B.O and mambo sauce.

2) I don’t have a Mom or if I did, she wasn’t around.

Truth: As much as I talk about my Dad, you would think that my Mom disappeared from my life.

Nope.

While my parents divorced when I was 10, my mother had visitation rights until I was 18. So yeah, she was there. She just wasn’t there. My mother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1997 and decided to not take medication. So yeah, I witnessed a lot of wild things in her house growing up. Because of my mother’s illness, she’s been distant from me (to this day, I really don't know why) and while I’ve tried to mend things with her, it is hard to when your mother disappears from the face of the earth for months at a time. To be frank, I’ve already prepared myself for that “we found your mother dead” phone call.

3) I’m Lesbian (or was – whatever that means)

Truth: Yeah, that would be a no too. Ciara is strictly dickly. I can’t lie though … I didn’t really help myself in high school. I dressed like a boy, screamed about sports and – much to my disdain – wore fitted caps (7 and 1/8, by the way). I wore a skirt, people died. Since I’ve never had a boyfriend, my Dad probably thinks I’m lesbian but he knows better (I hope).

4) I used to blog.

Truth: FACT. I’ve written pieces for Philadelphia Magazine, Deadspin (for their 'Waxing Off' series, AverageBro and others. I’ve had my own blogs too; from the infamous Athletes and Procreation to this one (check the archives, b.) But since that, ehh … let’s just say that my motivation to blog again has been short-lived. I’ve been working on this new blog -- which I won’t reveal yet -- but I don’t know if people will ever get to see it. The project has become SUPER-personal for me especially since I’m a pseudo-feminist.

5) Feminist? Word?!

Short answer is yes. On base, a lot of my passions lie in the search for basic women’s rights. Am I a full fledge Gloria Steinem? I won’t say that. I find myself having issues with some of the tenets of this new wave of feminism. I’m pro-choice but to a point. Not everything is sexist to me. I rather be proactive than reactionary when gender issues arise. That differs from my neo-feminists counterparts.

Stay tuned for Part II!