I cant live without feminism

From when I was 4 with a Dora the Explorer bowl cut

And a gap in between my two front baby teeth

to my awkward pre-middle school years when I thought I was was cool

because I bought my first pair of skinny jeans

and a boy actually had a crush on me,

I listened to you.

You, with your slicked back hair and crooked smile,

radiating that cocky attitude with every sly, wicked move you made.

My self esteem and my self worth were based on the opinions of

annoying, immature, prepubescent boys.

You said, “You’re ugly.”

I am a monster!

You said, “You have cooties.”

My life is over!

You said, “Your voice is annoying.”

I need to shut up!

I did not know better.

Then along came those cringe-inducing middle school years

of me trying so hard to be popular and get older boys’ attention.

My efforts to get 8th grade boys’ attention did nothing  but crash and burn,

just like my efforts to be “cool.”

I listened to you the most then, thinking that your impossibly high standards

were actually attainable.

You said, “You look like a little girl.”

Should I wear tighter clothes and pound on the makeup?

You said, “You sound like a child.”

Should I smoke a pack of cigarettes a day to sound older and sexier?

You said, “You are a midget.”

Should I wear sky-high heels that could break my tiny little ankles?

I hated myself, and I didn’t know better.

And now we’re here in this magical land they call high school,

and now I know better.

I know better than to let the opinions of a boy who can’t even handle hearing the words

“vagina” and “period” without bursting into a fit of giggles

determine my self esteem and my self-worth.

You said, “You are ugly”

I am a goddamn goddess,

Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite rolled into one ethereal being.

You said, “You sound like a little kid.”

My voice booms like white-hot lightning striking the ground,

and slays the words of oppression that you rain down upon me.

You said, “You’re a loser.”

I am a queen, with the ability to chop of your head with a single command

while you’re just a lowly peasant.

I don’t deserve you senseless sexism

that takes me two steps back

instead of a step closer to my liberation from your foolish ways.

I am a warrior, fighting for my freedom

from bitter, vicious, low life, sexist idiots

like you.

I am a part of and live among the next generation of

presidents, world leaders, activists, and

history makers.

We refuse to fall under the reign of terror that the patriarchy has

so sweetly blessed upon us.

We’re too busy breaking the glass ceiling and fighting for our

social, political, and economic equality

to abide by your

gender roles,

glorification of masculinity,

and rape culture.

Because we know better, do you?