Nov 2013
I am allowed to say no. In fact, I have the right to say no. My body is a temple, and I get to choose who gets to access the lower regions and the inner sanctum. You do not get to choose for me. You do not get to slide your slimey hands all over my body if I say no. You do not get to touch my **** or my front if I should say so.
Yet, many do not believe that a man has as much of a right to the word no as a woman. Let me tell you ladies and gents, I have just as much of a right to use and mean the word no as a woman does. I can get *****, assaulted, abused, bruised, and hurt, emotionally, physically, and mentally too.
Do you know how hard it is to get up, to go to bed, to sleep, to live with a smile on your face, when you're looking for the next person who might want take advantage of you. Do you know how sick it makes me feel when someone calls me attractive because that's how he tried to convince that I'm okay with what he was doing? Do you know how hard it is to not flinch when a man casually touches me. Do you know how hard it is to survive when touch was the only thing that offered me true comfort, but now gives me panic attacks?
Do you know how hard it is to survive on a day to day basis when the right to say no was unwillingly taken away. Do you know how hard it is to smile and laugh, love yourself and your life while looking around every corner, trying to identify who the next attacker is, wondering the next time you'll be the victim?
I have just as much of the right to say no as anyone else. Just because I'm a man, because I'm always supposed to want to ***, because I'm confident in myself and my sexuality, does not mean you have the right to ignore words, ignore that I. Do. Not. Want. To. Do. Anything. With. You.
So many people say that they hold no stereotypes or expectations for other people, but the society I live in expects me not to have the right to say no. So thank you everyone, those who taught others that men can't say no, to those who tried to make me conform, and to those who say nothing at all because you, you make it easier for someone to take advantage of a man who doesn't know or believe he has the right to say no.
Yet, many do not believe that a man has as much of a right to the word no as a woman. Let me tell you ladies and gents, I have just as much of a right to use and mean the word no as a woman does. I can get *****, assaulted, abused, bruised, and hurt, emotionally, physically, and mentally too.
Do you know how hard it is to get up, to go to bed, to sleep, to live with a smile on your face, when you're looking for the next person who might want take advantage of you. Do you know how sick it makes me feel when someone calls me attractive because that's how he tried to convince that I'm okay with what he was doing? Do you know how hard it is to not flinch when a man casually touches me. Do you know how hard it is to survive when touch was the only thing that offered me true comfort, but now gives me panic attacks?
Do you know how hard it is to survive on a day to day basis when the right to say no was unwillingly taken away. Do you know how hard it is to smile and laugh, love yourself and your life while looking around every corner, trying to identify who the next attacker is, wondering the next time you'll be the victim?
I have just as much of the right to say no as anyone else. Just because I'm a man, because I'm always supposed to want to ***, because I'm confident in myself and my sexuality, does not mean you have the right to ignore words, ignore that I. Do. Not. Want. To. Do. Anything. With. You.
So many people say that they hold no stereotypes or expectations for other people, but the society I live in expects me not to have the right to say no. So thank you everyone, those who taught others that men can't say no, to those who tried to make me conform, and to those who say nothing at all because you, you make it easier for someone to take advantage of a man who doesn't know or believe he has the right to say no.
