Sixth grade, middle school,
That's when it begins
The competition, the bullying,
Trying to fit in,

Trying to fit in
But standing out all the same
Trying to belong,
But left out of everything
Their words begin to sink in
Like seeds,
They breed self conciousness
She longs for the 'me'
She used to be
The one with self-esteem

But she's let their words define her
They bind her, hold her, keep her
Blind, unable to see
The beauty on the inside
On the outside, on her tear-washed face

She keeps it bottled up inside
Afraid to tell anyone,
She thinks she's the reason why
But the reason she feels so dark inside isn't her.

So what if girls exceed your expectations?
Why do we have to dress 'holy'
in skirts that give us limitations?
We have chests. We have hips.
How long we have to apologize
for the features that God gave us?
Why are our girls
Beat down, held back,
So all the men can look greater?
Does it make them feel powerful
To push her down, sedate her?
Does it make them feel powerful
To keep their women
As second-class citizens?
Dress codes: knees covered.
Social code: Seen, not heard.
Aren't we the reason you're all here?
Why do you make her dim her strengths
For all the men to shine brighter?

If girls have to dress 'holy'
Because boys 'can't control themselves',
Why not teach the boys
to keep their hands where they belong?

When asked
why she did not marry
the Duke of Westminster?

Coco Chanel replied:
There have been many
"Duchesses of Westminster,"
But there is only one
Coco Chanel.