NO MEANS NO

by emmagrace96

July 11, 2014

“Just tell them no,”

Grade A advice

From a mother who worries

She’ll find her girl on ice.

“Men are dogs,

Just stay away,”

A father lectures her

Every day.

“That just means he likes you,”

Says every teacher

While laying a hand

On the shaking shoulder.

“That top is distracting,”

The principle scolds

And stares at the small top

The girl had worn so bold.

We try to prepare them,

We really do.

But all that will happen

Is wicked and cruel.

From enhancements

To reductions,

From sayings

To actions.

Boys will be boys,

Girls will be girls,

And rape is rape.

But this always occurs:

Drunken girls,

Late night shifts,

False accusations,

And depression so swift.

No matter what they’re told,

This is always so:

Yes means yes,

AND NO MEANS NO.

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Comments (1)

emmagrace96Jul 11, 2014

<p>Just a little about this poem. I am always scared because sometimes I work late and there are scary people in this world. I am always scared because I remember being told as a little girl that if a boy was mean that meant he liked you. I am always scared because no matter what, I and my sisters will always compare ourselves to models and the women in music videos that are dying to be little sex toys. We want to be wanted. And now I think it is time we want to be respected. There IS a rape culture, and it needs to stop now. Because people need to know that no means no.</p>