Growing up, TV host and former volleyball player Gretchen Ho used to be one of the boys, enjoying the rowdiness of her childhood with her brothers.

Ho spoked about what her young life was like in her Instagram post yesterday, Oct. 11, in celebration of International Day of the Girl. She also shared a series of throwback photos, showing her as a kid with her brothers and parents.

“As the only daughter amongst [three] boys, I grew up a little tougher than most. I didn’t want to be left out of the games just because I was a girl,” she said.

Ho recalled how she managed to survive in their male-dominated games when she was just a kid.

“So I roughed it out with my brothers [and] cousin on [two-on-two] basketball, played with small army bases instead of polly pockets, and went for that afternoon pellet gun session and habul-habulan (chasing),” she said. “I would cry and be pikon (quick-tempred) everytime they hit me, but I also knew I could take advantage of my femininity (they underestimated me) to score a point or so.”

For Ho, it was quite a boisterous childhood but one that shaped who she is today. And while women are still perceived by many as the weaker sex, Ho believes otherwise.

gretchen ho ig throwback — Image: Instagram/@gretchenho

“Embrace your strength and femininity, but never let your gender set limits upon you,” she advised. “Be brave [and] dauntless. Don’t be afraid to speak up and fight back when boundaries are crossed. You can be all that you want to become. You are beautiful with all your quirks, and you are worthy of being loved.”

Ho also asked her friends and fans to help empower other women and support the education of young girls by sponsoring one through the humanitarian organization World Vision. JB

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