Ode to Feminism

Feminism,

the word that defined a year.

The crusade that shields our wives and armors our daughters,

an expedition that started with a few disquiet  women

is now a global movement.

A movement supported by

young and old

black and white

men and women

because it affects us all.

It protects the little girls being chased on the playground by boys who don’t care.

It protects the young women who walk down the street only to be shouted at by bystanders.

It protects the boys who struggle with their sexualilty, their identity, and their purpose.

It watches over the women who walk to their cars with their keys lodged in their palms.

It watches over girls who “asked for it”,  boys who “should have enjoyed it”,

those who don’t remember, or were too young to understand.

It is a way of life for people who have nothing more than a penny, waiting patiently

on the street for someone to care.

It is the Good Samaritan that passes by and pulls those people onto their feet

and tells them that it will be okay.

There is no way to know where we would be without it because it is the livelihood of

our mothers

our grandmothers

our matriarchs that came so long before us.

We stand and we continue the fight that was started so long ago to combat

the injustices

the wrongdoings

the everyday inconveniences created by a culture that wants to see us fail.

However long it takes, I will fight for myself

for those who came before

and for those who will come after me.

Feminism is a catalyst for a battle.

A battle that will only end when there is

no more fear

no more hatred

no more abuse aimed at the diverse.

When there is nowhere else to turn

and there is nothing else to do

Feminism will always be there with open arms

to welcome us to the fight for freedom.