Without all the extras

Without the filters I place upon myself

The only difference between another and myself

Are the thoughts that run through our heads

 

Beneath the clothing, the skin, the flesh, and blood

We are all human,

The same,

Only unique in mind.

 

But filter out our beliefs in gender, society, sexuality, religion, life

The things that shape a person

The thoughts that make us different

Then who are we?

 

All thats left are our base attributes,

Our DNA,

Not even our morals are left the same.

Without the filters, we are not us.

 

We are nothing.

 

It is the filters we have in our lives that make us us,

The more filters we add the more authentic we are

It isn’t about changing who you are on the outside to fit in,

But showing who you are on the inside out.

 

Then why-

Why are we so focused on taking them away?

On showing that everyone is the same,

Because we are not.

 

Without my filter

I am no different than anyone else

And to me the most authentic version of me

Is unique and filtered.

 

The me that binds my chest

To filter out my femininity.

 

The me that dyes my hair and dresses punk

Helps to filter me out from everyone else.

 

The me that filters out the swear words

As not to offend adults or teach children my bad habit.

 

The me that takes pictures with my face tilted and filtered

Because the camera can never capture who I am in real life.

 

With filters

I am a 17 year old Androgynous teen

Who dresses like they’re in a band.

Who is different.

 

Without filters

I am simply another teenage girl

Who doesn’t stand out from the crowd

Who is the same as everyone else.

 

So why must me we tear away the filters

When the most authentic version of a person

Is who they’ve created throughout their life

With filters.