I know a real life Meadow Soprano.  Kristin Battista-Frazee, a member of my writer’s group and author of Daughter of Pornography.  Kristin grew up in a home where Daddy’s pornography distribution and club business resulted in painful experiences for her family.

Kristin has a pretty girl-next-door smile and plays down her stunning long legs with casual jeans — but she has the looks to work in her dad’s business.  She also could deny any knowledge of it.   Yet, she doesn’t pretend to be someone she is not.  She is authentically the woman who navigated a child hood of upheaval resulting from her dad’s line of work.  What might have caused another woman live a life in hiding in shame or naked in the spotlight of the industry – has been forged by Kristen’s understanding and forgiveness.

I admire Kristin because not all of us would want to walk through the valley of the dark days of our childhood.  Kristin does so courageously.  In her book she makes peace with what she could not change and accepts with gratitude what was beautiful and good in her family.  Her loving tribute to her Dad for Father’s Day is posted on today’s Daily Beast.  It has been 40 years since her Dad promoted the film, Deep Throat, and while there is no love lost between me and the pornography business, I admire the guy.

He loved his daughter.  He raised Kristin, not to be a stripper, but to expect to be cared for and protected.  He helped her achieve her dreams.  As a result, she found the strength to become a self-confident businesswoman, wife, mother and, now, aspiring author.

Happy Father’s Day to him and all the dads who love, protect and defend their daughters.  We need more fathers to raise women who hold themselves in high regard.  I wonder if that would put the business of selling sex out of business?