I am a woman

I am not your plaything

I have an identity

I have a name

I am not “sweet thing”

 

I am a girl

I shouldn’t have to carry my keys between my fingers

I shouldn’t have to wear special nail polish so I can test my drink for date rape drugs

I shouldn’t have to be afraid to walk by myself or another girlfriend at night

I am not “baby give me a smile”

 

I am a female

Why does media tell me that if I wear a short skirt it is my fault?

Why do I have to worry about grown men eyeing me like I’m their next meal?

Why do only 3% of rapists spend a day in jail?

I am not “look at those legs”

 

I may be a woman

But that doesn’t mean you can touch me

Objectify me

Suppress me

I am not “looking isn’t a crime, baby”

 

There is no such thing as “non-breathing swimming”

There is swimming

And then there is

Drowning

There’s no such thing as “nonconsensual sex”

There’s sex, with both partners agreeing

And then there is

Rape

 

Don’t make rape sound like something it’s not

Don’t try and lessen it’s blow

Don’t try and make it polite or politically correct

Call it by its name, call it what it is

Call it rape

 

No, you didn’t allow him to touch you there

Yes, he did it anyways

No, you weren’t the first

No, you won’t be the last

Humanity has been raped

Raped by the thought that rape is okay

Raped by the thought that rape is the fault of anyone but the rapist

Don’t you dare tell the girl who was pinned down

Staring at the ceiling

Wondering when it will all be over that

Maybe she shouldn’t have worn those shorts that make her butt look so good or

Maybe she shouldn’t have had that last drink

 

Instead, tell the rapist

Don’t fucking rape

She is not yours

She is hers

If she says no

That doesn’t mean go

 

I am flawless because

I will speak out

For myself

For those who can’t 

I don’t hate men

I hate sexual harassment and assault

 

Once women are respected like men

Once people stop trying to tell me that cat-calling is “flattering”

Once women make dollar for dollar, not 75 cents for the dollar

Once more rapes are reported and taken seriously and prosecuted

Once I can walk alone and not imagine how I would escape an attacker

Once the victim isn’t blamed, but instead the rapist is

Then I will sit down

Until then, I’ll be here

Once again, I don’t hate men

In fact, I’m envious

Why does being born with a penis instead of vagina grant you certain privileges and respect?