Why We're Worth
Here's the story for us girls.
We live in a hyper-competitive sexualized compassion-lacking World
shoulders, knees, and thighs provoke (because, obviously) "no" lacks irs Kindergarten authority boundaries fade and you're never really safe
"Stay on your guard" "Watch what you wear" "Don't drink too much"
because God forbid you "look like you want it" or you seem like "an easy target"
"it's not really your fault if something happens, but maybe you could have done something differently” Sweetie
"boys will be boys." But you should still be vulnerable
"You just have to be aware" But you should look soft, nice
"Don't forget to smile”
we don't know what to do What to say Where to go What to feel
So we say nothing.
Since “It won't happen to me" We try to forget when it does.
Here's the story us girls can write, though, No don'ts, or should haves
It's one of action.
It's one of acceptance vulnerability belief and strength
It's one of personal space and boundaries that are not imaginary lines And writing in bold that people can't cross them as they please
It's a discovery of self-defense But more importantly self-worth.
It shows the boys (and some of us girls) that we're not a joke And neither is “no”
It paints a bitter reality A sad one where we might have to yell, elbow, or kick a stranger someone we know someone we Trust
It insists that our minds bodies and futures won't be this reality's next victims.
So power up, girls, And choose to rewrite the story
The ending doesn't have to be sad.