I Am Woman

Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.

Could it be any more obvious that we still live in a patriarchal world when feminism is a bad word?

The expression ‘it is a man’s world’ does not begin to cover the daily struggles women endure.

For women everywhere around the world, “equality” is the carrot on a stick, and no matter how fast we run, we can’t grasp it.

Once you’ve realized that you’re living in a world that believes women are “less than” in every imaginable way, it is soul crushing.

Discrimination against women, solely on the basis of their sex, is so widespread that it seems to many persons normal, natural and right

The world simply does not extend to women the same courtesies that it extends to men.

Men are not bad, or evil,  merely privileged. And privilege blinds.

Priviledge is when you think something is not a problem because it is not a problem to you personally.

When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.

I am accustomed to men fighting for the idea of me: weak, and fragile. Everything they’re supposed to protect.

We live in a world where feelings have gender labels when in actuality, feeling anything at all should be labeled for what it is: being human.

Women are constantly placed on society’s back burner. And as women we constantly have to chew our words before we speak so that when they come out they are easy on the ears.

Women are taught that no back bone is too straight to be snapped into submission.

Society teaches girls that they CANNOT be sexual beings in the way that boys are. Yet:

We are expected not to dress to impress ourselves but impress other men.

We are expected to be flattered when a man whistles at us when we walk down the street. We are expected to be flattered by a sound that is meant for a dog.

As women when we have standards, we are expected to lower them. But when men have standards we are expected to meet them.

We live in a world where boobs are used to sell everything from cars to cologne, but when a woman publicly uses her breast to feed her child, she is the one criticized. AND

When you interrupt a girl’s school day to force her to change her clothes, or send her home because her shorts are too short, or her shoulder is showing, you are telling her that making sure boys have a ‘distraction free’ learning environment is more important than her education. INSTEAD OF SHAMING GIRLS FOR THEIR BODIES THAT YOU ARE THE ONES OVER SEXUALIZING, TEACH BOYS THAT GIRLS ARE NOT SEXUAL OBJECTS.

After they’ve been sexualized and harassed and bombarded from every angle with the notion that they are sexual objects, they are fantasized about and pursued, then they get ripped to shreds for being “too sexy”

If she’s ‘too young to be wearing that,’ the  she’s too young to be sexualized. Leave girls alone for dressing comfortably for the weather. IN winter, we wear sweaters, in summer we wear tank tops. WHY IS THIS SUCH A RADICAL CONCEPT.

I am a 17 year old girl. If you are over sexualizing me, you are the problem.

MY BODY IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS

Girls are taught tips on “How not to be raped”

Girls are taught to dress modestly, so that we won’t be “asking for it.”

Well I say, instead of teaching girls How Not to Be Raped, why not teach people NOT TO RAPE.

If he puts his hands on you, cut them off. It’s self defense.

As a woman I am TIRED of never meeting society's standards of WHAT I SHOULD BE

I am TIRED of being viewed as never smart enough, never pretty enough,  inadequate, inferior

I am TIRED of always being viewed as something to fix.

We do not need to change our bodies. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE RULES

Let’s stop being surprised when beautiful women are also intelligent

Let’s stop being surprised when a woman is put in a position of power

Let’s stop being surprised when a woman dresses simply to impress HERSELF

Let’s stop telling women they were “asking for it”

Let’s stop teaching little girls that they NEED  man in order to be happy

Let’s stop letting rapists sue for custody of their child

Let’s start GLORIFYING SELF LOVE

Let’ stop discriminating based on our BIOLOGY

I will not remove the jewels from MY crown to make it easier for men to carry. I do not need a smaller crown, I need stronger men.

GIRLS: Stop feeling like you should not speak your mind because someone is going to call you a bitch.

Girls don’t want to be whistled at, they want respect!

Girls don’t want discrimination, they want to dress however the hell they want!

Girls don’t want boys, they want equal pay!

I stand with all the oppressed women who came before me. I am here to say that I will not be silenced or dismissed. I am here to say NO MORE.

I would MUCH rather be labeled as the “obnoxious feminist” than be complicit in my own dehumanization.

It is 2016 people!!!!!!

  1. Girls don’t HAVE to shave

  2. Being gay ISN’T a choice

  3. Racism is pointless

  4. Rape IS NOT funny and

  5. Sexism is FREAKING RIDICULOUS

Whether you are black, white, puerto rican, mixed, gay, straight, asexual, bisexual YOU ARE A WOMAN. AND YOU ARE POWERFUL.

Someone’s inability to see your worth does not decrease your value

I pledge allegiance to all my independent girls in here

As women if we were to comply with all of Society’s expectations they should build us a trophy case. Because when you think about it, that’s all we’re being used for.”

“Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.”

 

This poem is about: 
Our world

Comments

emurra17

Thanks for writing and sharing this. I teach. My student found this poem and would like to use large segments of it in her short film project.  Is that OK? If yes--can she give you credit? Would love to hear back with guidance. Thx! 

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