I refuse to live my life waiting for a man to tell me I’m beautiful
Granted, that does not define me as a “man-hater,” it just means I can tell myself that anytime
My greatest fear is that I’ll succumb to Society’s norms
Let go of what makes me and become what makes a “woman”

Since when is the word “feminist” so filthy and cruel?
Since when does “woman” mean “quiet,” “reserved,” and “obedient?”
Why must a woman hold herself back while a man talks all he wants?
Why are there gender rules when the true synonym for both “woman” and “man” is “human?”

I grew up with one hope and dream as a child
To fall in love with a Prince Charming and live happily ever after
I wondered what it would feel like to be in love
My role models were women who wrote songs I saw as love poems

I hoped that one day I’d take my glasses off, put on some makeup, and voila!
I would be beautiful, winning over guys’ hearts like I'd seen on silver screens
I realize now my calculations were flawed
That as soon as I spoke my mind instead of sitting in the corner; I ruined my chances

And now that I’m older, I won't be blinded anymore
These women who I looked up to are only mentioned for their looks and relationships
Sure, they’ll sing songs and perform, but what questions are they asked time after time?
“Who are you wearing?” “Do you have a man?” while men are asked respectable inquisitions

Because a woman is only an object
A pretty face who’s defined by the man she’s with or the ring on her finger
A woman must be modest while speaking but not when it comes to love
For when she holds herself back she’s called a “prude” and when she does what she wants she’s called a “s***”

These words against women define me
They define you, because the men who allow this to happen, the ones who don’t speak a word
When their friends laugh and call a girl a “whore” simply because she was blessed with a beautiful body
The boys who let those remarks go unashamed are just as to blame

And don’t go believing all the women are just victims
For every time a girl calls another a “s***” or a “w****”
She allows a man to think he can call her that too
She says it won't hurt when the tables are turned

And because I was born into the 52% of the world’s population, a woman
I am cursed with names like “s***” and “prude”
Taught to fear men, for they are the controllers
And I am part of the controlled

These rules said and unsaid are what make me who I am
Of course, I cover up, because schools say knees are “distracting”
Of course, I bite my tongue and if I don't, I get deemed "bossy”
Of course, I ignore the words I hear, for if they're acknowledged, I am at risk

But those words are what lead to sexual assault, rape, and suicide
Statistics show that while I read this poem, a woman has already been sexually assaulted
We live our lives not considering the fact that our words are bullets as much as our actions are bombs
That 1 in 6 cases, “no” will not mean “no” for a woman

And when the men say “What about us?”
I shake my head, because I know their hardships too
That little boys are being told not to dress up or play with dolls
And men will suffer from mental illness all alone, for they fear of opening up

The idea of dominance is so great; it takes over men's lives
Because God forbid they act “feminine”
They’re told that what makes them is their bucks and their build
“Stay strong, for success is what makes you a man”

These unspoken rules are a part of our lives, and we obey because that's all we know
The woman who hasn't said a word about the scars her husband gave her
The man who keeps his emotions hidden until they suddenly erupt
Society tells us what to do and who to be, shames us until we are no more

The walls of our characters are built by the bricks we call society
And if we can't admit to the evils of inequality
We may never ever stop succumbing to Society's norms
Which is my greatest fear of all