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Feb 2018
A note to men from a woman: I'm sure you're tired of reading these,
but this one is crucial, I won't blame you for every problem in this world.
But I'm asking you to read the whole way through please,
for we've all been told to be seen and not heard since we were a small girl.

When you approach us to talk, don't look at *** walking on legs,
and don't talk to us as if you'd speak to *** itself.
Don't tell us to dress nicer, 'cause then we'll feel like we're dressed in rags,
and feel that pressure to look for a man for wealth.
Not every woman will use you, but some will,
and not every man will **** us, but some do still.
Truth is, we are treated differently, but so are you,
but we get to pull our discrimination out of our pocket when it suits us best,
Pocket is a metaphor, some workplaces "suggest" wearing skirts and something to show off the chest.
Worst part is, most women then do.

When a man loses a job to a woman; no one bats an eye,
"They've got an equality quota to fill" and that isn't a lie.
I'm sorry for that standard, for whoever is qualified should get the prize,
but we've lived in a world of participation awards and protest cries.
That being said, we almost always work under or for you,
not every time, but most times, you know that's true.
I can't speak for the wage gap, for in Canada we all earn our wage from the same,
but every woman I speak to works harder and longer then the men around,
for myself I stress to go above and beyond for my own pride and name,
while the boys all laugh and talk sports into the ground.

When you want to compliment us, please try to think of something other than our appearance,
Something that doesn't equal "you are pleasing for MY eyes to see."
We'd never say "you look like you've got a good ****" though I'm sure you might want to hear it,
but wouldn't it be better to compliment each others manners, hard work or creativity?
Tell a girl she's beautiful on a date, 'cause that's when she tried to look nice for you,
not when she's living life, she isn't bait,
especially not in sweatpants with an up-do.

You can hold a door open for us, and we can hold a door for you,
We can all hold doors open for each other.
Chivalry is dead, but common manner's will do,
we should treat one another like a sister or brother.
"Men and women can't be friends"
Well to that, I say it's a lie,
and so is the message that it sends,
that we are just meant to procreate then die.

Final message to men, and this one is so common it's insane,
But when we are nice and smile, it isn't to flirt,
It's be polite and sweet, it's that simple and plain.
So sticking with being polite, I'm sorry if your ego is hurt.
Don't claim we lead you on by being nice,
and don't use the word friend like it's a bad thing,
'cause that just proves you're looking at us like a vice,
even if you think you wanted to give us a ring.
No matter what you do for a woman, or your relationship with her,
gives you the right to enter her body without her soberly saying yes,
Imagine if we entered your urethra with needles over and over,
that's the closest comparison I can think of, I must confess.

Now to my females: don't cry wolf when you make a mistake,
I'm not talking about victim blaming, I'm talking about taking it back when you regret it the next day,
'Cause that hurts a real case of violation and heartbreak,
just because you have a boyfriend or the guy last night now has nothing to say.
When a man calls you a *****, please don't you get angry,
It's a compliment in my eyes, cause you spoke your mind against his.
A ***** has a spine and a mind, and that *****'s mind is free,
I would change my name to *****, maybe in front of it with "Ms."

"That's just the world we live in."
"That's just the way things are."
I don't know about you, but I believe we can all win,
In changing it to "the way things were " in a future not too far.

For you see, we are not each others natural enemy,
The real evil in this world drew this idea with great creativity,
to distract both him and her, and you and me.
They organized it, exaggerated it, and flashed it on a TV screen,
to keep our attention away from what's going on behind the scene.

So to all justice warriors who are obsessed,
still hold your torches and pitchfork in hand,
'Cause truth is no matter what 99% of us are all oppressed,
and right now by targeting each other, we work into the 1%'s plan.
All genders and races, we are all allies,
Look into our eyes and faces, and you'll see the ties.
By keeping us fighting one group or the next after that,
We don't have the energy or attention to go after the real threat.
It'll buy them time, while we buy their production line,and their wallets grow fat,
and we'll remain their pawns in their game, and they'll have the coin to place their next bet.
This was written as a spoken word poem, which I've never been overly fond or fluent with. But here's my opinion on the ressurgence of feminism. The truth is, we are being pitted against eachother on purpose. The same people advertising the "me too" movement are the same people who have sexually assaulted women/men for the most part. We don't need feminism, we need equality and humanism.
Em MacKenzie
Written by
Em MacKenzie  35/F/Ottawa
(35/F/Ottawa)   
315
   Amanda Kay Burke
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