I am a woman. Does that make you want to hurt me? Do you look at me as weak, vulnerable, ******, emotional, insignificant, manipulating...a pleasure dummy? Am I excluded from conversations, education, emotional relations, fair evaluation... I am a woman, here is my exclamation. I eat. I ****. I read. I sit. I learn. I grow. I donβt like to be called a **. I have thoughts. I can take a joke. I care for others. Iβm not just something to poke. I work for my money, 77 cents to your dollar. I have control and my intended purpose is not for ironing collars. The notion of the nagging woman bothers me most. There is much beauty to us, if you look close. Not on the surface or underneath our clothes. Listen when we talk and you will see we are not foes.
Written for a class that asked "When were you first aware of your gender?" This is how I answered.