“One
As a girl
Your opinion matters little
Who gave you a voice, miss?
Don’t speak your mind
Even if you are right
Just shut up and hide behind
Two
As a girl
Your curvy body
Makes them prey on you
Damned is your appearance
Gets you sexualised
Even when you are barely
A ten year old pre-teen
Three
As a girl
You need to look after the house
It doesn’t matter if your brothers
Mess up or don’t help
But if you make
A small and silly mistake
The shouts will send you straight to hell
Four
As a girl
You must aim at marriage
A distorted vision of culture
Is more important than your education
They don’t care about your grades
You are useless if you can’t bake a cake
Five
As a girl
You have to serve the man
Because apparently he is too dumb
To look after himself
And he needs someone to dominate and maintain
In order to feel his toxic masculinity
He must rely on your weak femininity
Six
As a girl
You are supposed to wear make-up
Smile sweetie!
Be feminine and delicate
Wear this dress and close your legs
Act as a modest lady
Or risk being deemed
Unworthy of respect
Seven
As a girl
Depression is solely being moody
Your dark skin says you are just bitter
Eating disorders
Are mere self-obsessions
Even if unreachable standards
Are promoted across nations
Eight
As a girl
You should have children
Be a mother and dedicate your life to others
It doesn’t matter if you aren’t ready
Emotionally or physically
You are a selfish for wanting a career
And without kids
Your life will be seen as incomplete
Nine
As a girl
Misinterpreted religions say
You are worth less than men
Because of a natural hierarchy
You deserve to be paid less
Blame yourself if you are raped
It is just human instinct
Kings should always be pleased
And ten
Above all
The only certainty is that
As a girl
You turn 16
Feeling like if you are 30
Your phase of innocence and freedom
Ends quickly
And your years of play and growth
Are cut short
By gender roles”
-Written about sexism through situations I have personally experienced as a black woman, including comments and events I have heard, lived and seen.
By Emilie H. Featherington
All Rights Reserved © 2016
