Seen Not Heard

ever since i was young i have been taught that a girl is quiet, kind, and caring. she puts other before herself and keeps quiet.
ever since i was young i have been taught that a girl will always be saved by her knight in shining armor and that there was no need for her to be the hero. there would always be a boy who could run faster, work harder, be better.
ever since i was young i was taught that low cut shirts and short skirts and tight dresses and a made up face were asking for it. that every article of clothing i wore had a purpose and that single SINGLE purpose was to appeal to men, without giving the idea of being easy, slutty, whorish, prudish, boring, or closed.

and ever since i was young i was expected to bear children. it was "my duty" as a woman to raise a family and create a household. i was taught that being a mother was my first job. that being an astronaut, a doctor, the president were boy jobs. "let the men do the dirty work" they said and i nodded quietly, the perfect image of a perfect little girl.
i grew up though. and my eyes opened. and finally finally finally i saw the world from my own perspective. unblemished by the thoughts the speeches the poison that was shoved pushed smashed into my mind at a time when i believed everything i heard. quietsweetpoliteladylike. do what they say do what they ask be the quiet little princess you're meant to be. don't speak up don't form an opinion don't even think about raising your voice because a girl is meant to be seen, not heard.

and now that i have found this voice i use it. i ignore the glares, the turned up noses. they don't bother me. i will speak up against the weakness that has and is being shoved down the throats of the women of the next generation. i will teach them that gender does not determine strength. i will do everything in my power to show the world that women are not rag dolls to be used and played with and thrown to the ground like nothing. we are power. we are strength. we are equal. and nothing can convince me otherwise.

ever since i was young i was taught that "woman" was synonymous with "weak". but the egotistical weakness of the boys i turned down shook that idea. when my friends broke down and i held them they commented on my strength. when no matter how hard the middle school boys tried to break me, i remained whole, i knew. i knew it all along.

they can say all they want, but they cannot, will not control me. their words their actions their opinions will not sway me. i am a raging fire of feeling an ocean of poisonous emotions. i am everything and more. i am power.