Actor Channing Tatum wrote an emotional letter about his hopes for his daughter that was recently published in Cosmo. The movie star wrote about how the power of his wife and daughter go beyond traditional gender roles set in place by patriarchal societies.
An excerpt from his letter states: “We live in a society that has trained men and women to play certain kinds of roles for a long time, and the beauty of this amazing moment we’re living in is that we’re finally starting to break free from those roles. Women, especially, are realizing that they no longer have to conform to certain standards of social and sexual behavior, and this changes what they need from men and the role of men in general.”
Tatum’s colleagues at Cosmo invited him to submit something to the magazine in honor of the launch of his production of Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas. Tatum starred in the 2012 blockbuster, playing the titular character. In his Cosmo article, Tatum expressed his thought process, attributing the contents to his three-year-old daughter Everly, and how she would react to the article one day. Tatum and his wife, Step Up co-star Jenna Dewan Tatum, gave birth to Everly in London, England on May 30, 2013.
“I thought about my daughter reading this article someday,” wrote Tatum. “I pictured her in her late teens or early 20s, hoping to explore and discover her sexuality and dreaming about finding true love… I tried to imagine the things I’d want her to read that would help her understand men and sex and partnership better.”
It was here that Tatum reached a revelation. The actor disclosed his hope that his daughter will have the self-confidence and assurance to avoid seeking outside validation in favor of trusting and loving herself, regardless of societal expectations.
“I don’t want her looking to the outside world for answers,” Tatum admitted. “My highest hope for her is just that she has the fearlessness to always be her authentic self, no matter what she thinks men want her to be.”
The Magic Mike star explained his hopes for his daughter were inspired by his wife. An actress and dancer in her own right, Dewan began dating Tatum shortly following their roles playing opposite each other in the hit movie, Step Up. Dewan admitted her love to Tatum, sealing their relationship and capturing Tatum with her honesty, authenticity, and confidence.
“She had no idea what I’d say or how I’d react, but that was her truth… I knew she wasn’t auditioning me or hoping I’d meet some set of expectations,” wrote Tatum. “That radical authenticity of hers was what made me fall head over heels in love. Now I know it’s what I was always craving. And that’s what I want for my daughter — to be expectation-less with her love and not allow preconceived standards to affect her, to ask herself what she wants and feel empowered enough to act on it.”
Tatum closed his letter to Everly with a powerfully optimistic message, applauding the progress society has made in terms of gender roles and expectations. The celebrity expressed his happiness at witnessing today’s women breaking away from societal confines. Tatum also added his intentions for his Vegas show to be a sexually pleasurable and energetic experience as well as a comfortable and safe sexual outlet.
“I wanted to create a space where we could really explore these themes in a fun, provocative way,” explained Tatum. “I want women to feel what it’s like to exist in a world where men really listen to them, where they treat them like goddesses, and where they can feel comfortable and proud to express the full force of their sexual energy together. I want them to experience a place where they are much more than enough.”
Featured Image by Gage Skidmore on Flickr
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