I am a woman.

I work hard, I crave success,

I am a woman.

I want a career and I'm making a life,

I am a woman.

 

I learn every day.

And I like it.

I have goals and I have dreams.

I am a woman,

And I’m going somewhere.

 

Because I am female,

I am sometimes judged by my looks and my body.

Men may not mean to do this.

It may be subconscious or automatic,

But it happens none the less.

Am I pretty? Am I sexy?

Or am I lacking?

Intelligence, might I add, is irrelevant.

 

But to the men who think that I’m not worth their time:

 

I deserve the respect I earn

And there is more to me than what you see.

I am a brain.

A powerful mind with the potential to do great things.

And I deserve to be listened to.

I am not unintelligent or uninformed.

I bide my time, and wait my turn.

But when my turn comes, I will speak.

And when I speak, you will listen.

And you will not overlook me

Because I am a woman.

 

We deserve a chance.

We are smart.

We are not less than you,

Less capable than you.

Less powerful than you.

Less driven than you.

 

We have more in common than you think.

 

We are both striving to change the world,

To be important and to be great.

We have made great strides and done great things.

We each climbed our own ladder,

Each unique, but each significant.

Each worthy.

I am successful,

But I am a woman.

And despite my acheivements, that still means something.

 

So please do not disregard my accomplishments

Because you are a man and you think that by default yours have more value.

I hope you can see past your own success

Instead of holding on to the idea that yours is worth more than mine,

Because I am a woman.