Identity Problems
But for the first time in 21 years of living, I was called a "woman," and a "lady." I've been called the "lady from the newspaper." I even interviewed high school students who called me "ma'am."
I graduated high school in 2005. I felt old that moment. But I never thought I'd be called any of those titles before I was a wife. I expected that to change afterward.
Walking around and interviewing people, calling myself a reporter with The News, seems to have changed my feminine status.
When I called myself a reporter for my college paper I was always called a girl, young woman, kid and even one time, I swear, a toddler. I'm definitely not used to being treated like an adult by those sources.
Where I work defines me as a person - literally.
I've always assumed that my status as woman would change when I had a ring on my finger. Right then, I was no longer a woman or a lady, but a child diving in during adult swim.
Someone I was interviewing would ask: "You're getting married? You're a child."
Well, first off, the problem with that weird moment is that it distracted from the interview I was conducting, and secondly, I wasn't a child a minute ago.
Apparently to people I'm somewhere in between career woman and child bride. To some, you can be old enough and responsible enough to work at a newspaper, but you're not old enough and responsible enough to build a marriage.
--- Natalie Morera
