“hate yourself,” you said,
“because you don’t deserve to love yourself.”

and you don’t deserve to love yourself,
until you’ve lost weight.
you don’t deserve to love yourself,
unless you’re getting straight a’s.
you don’t deserve to love yourself,
unless people love you first.

“hate yourself,” you said,
“because you’ll never be good enough.”

and you won’t be good enough,
until you’ve done your share,
you won’t be good enough,
until you’ve earned good money.
you won’t be good enough,
until people say you are.

“hate yourself,” you said,
before you asked me what i wanted to be.

and when i told you,
you said
asian girls don’t become hollywood actresses
and ugly girls aren’t meant to wear beautiful dresses

when i told you,
you said
fat girls don’t become figure skaters
and stupid girls aren’t meant to idolize writers

you think that i live for your approval
that i am desperate for your love
because i can’t love myself

and as much as i hate to admit it,
you’re right.
and as much as i hate to admit it,
i do hate myself

i hate myself the way you say i should,
i hate every curve of my body,
and every word that comes out of my mouth.
i hate every

i hate myself
because for fifteen years
this society has taught me
that i wasn’t allowed to love myself.

but today,
i’m taking back what you stole from me.
today i’m breaking all your rules,
and today, i’m standing before you,
smiling and unbroken

to tell you that
i am beautiful
despite the flaws you have so carefully
pointed out

to tell you that
i am strong
despite your constant reassurances
that i was not.

and most of all,
i have come to tell you
that i love myself.
and perhaps i’ve broken the most sacred of your rules in doing so
but i did it
to save myself
but i don’t regret a single thing
and i know i never will.