Is there something wrong with you?
Have you forgotten?
Forgotten that you aren’t who you are
That your body was made for him
That you were meant to be devoured by the Y chromosome
You’re a working girl
You earn your money
You fought tooth and nail
Kicking and screaming
Claws sharp and pointy
Fighting until your last dying breath
Your perfection is expected
Flawlessness is required
Mistakes must not be made
You must be everything but nothing
Loud and silent. Proud and humble. Stern and gentle.
A mother. A wife. A woman. A soldier. A working girl
Why are you here cowering away in the dusted corner crying for a cease-fire?
Why are you seated and waiting for your brittle bones to heal from the beating you’ve
embarked on yourself?
For the wounds to enclose on itself
Why are the bags around your eyes your most prominent feature?
The smile on your face stitched in to hide the frown caught on your creased skin
Stop wimping and whining
Stop being broken
Stop feeling sorry for yourself
Why are you tired?
Why are you complaining?
Why are you angry?
Why aren’t you fighting?
Don’t you want to be a winner?
Don’t you want to be brave?
Strong. Powerful Woman
You’re a working girl
Proving us wrong
That women can have it all
Do it all
Be it all
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katia is 18 years old, born and raised in Orlando, Florida. Aside from writing, she has a passion for filmmaking, graphic design, and social work. She loves making films that center around women, the LGBT+ community, and people of color. Her goal in life has always been to write and direct stories that are diverse with accurate representation. She enjoys working for nonprofit organizations and advocating for the voiceless. She spends most of her free time volunteering at Planned Parenthood, LGBT+ Center, and fighting for human rights. She hopes to one day run a nonprofit organization that provides art education to lower-income communities.