This is the law that supersedes all
Other laws:
Thou shalt not complain.

Thou shalt have a successful career
𝘢𝘯𝘥
Shalt be a perfect mother.

Thou shalt be innocent and experienced,
Rebellious—
But not too much.

Thou shalt never need help.

Thou shalt never age
Yet maintain a veneer
Of self-acceptance.

Thou shalt not be overly
Emotional
But thou art not permitted to be
Robotic.

Thou shalt be assertive
But lo upon the woman
Who dares express anger.

Thou shalt have infinite patience.

Thou shalt be progressive without
Challenging the status quo.

Thou shalt carry thy burdens with
Immeasurable strength and without
Disintegration or failure.

And ye shalt do these things, that
Ye might become the 21st Century
Woman.

Poison is a woman's weapon-
venomous like a snake.

It won't **** you
all at once
like the brute force of his hands.
Instead, it takes you slowly-
deteriorating your sense of self
making you wish for death.
Death that brings end to dying.

she has no moral qualms
when it comes to you and all your wrongs.
she only knows betrayal
and that's enough for her.

You’ve heard them say it countless times
Put on make-up to be “beautiful”
You’re a lady
Stand up straight
“Don’t wear skirts or tank tops”
Or the boys will get distracted
“Don’t eat too much” but
Confine yourself to the media’s
Version of what a woman
SHOULD be
Don’t be confident in yourself
And walk with your head low
“You’re not special
You’re like everyone else I know”
Don’t cut your hair too short
“Do you wanna be a boy?!”

Or maybe you have heard the other
Put on a fake smile
As you go about your day
Sadness is Weakness
And crying makes you less of a man
Don’t wear “girly” colors
Or you are “too feminine”
Refusing risks
Makes you a wimp

“Be a man”
They say
But what does that even mean
Don’t do things you love
But force yourself to
Throw on that jersey
How dare you want to
Pursue your dreams

Women can’t do this
Men can’t do that
All wrapped up in bubble wrap
Loving yourself?
What’s that?
Change yourself in ways
That deem YOU “perfect”
In the eyes of the world

But what does that word even mean?
Is a bird less perfect if it loses a feather?
Or a lizard less of a reptile when it sheds its skin?
The beach less of a beach when the tide roles in?
NO

I watch the world around me
Boys and girls of all ages
Being conformed to their gender roles
Hunted like the prey of a lion
Society stalking their every move
Making sure nothing is out of place

Who cares what the world thinks is “Perfect”
The absent minds of the world around us
Cannot be changed
Normal to you is not normal to them
Being “weird” is better than being generic
You are beautiful just the way YOU are
You are beautiful
You are perfect
You are…
YOU!

i do not play the part
of a princess or a
damsel
i am
the dragon.
the soldier.
the knight.

What are you looking at young child?
The two boys kissing over there?
It's fine. I promise. Love is love!
And the two girls holding hands?
That's ok too. Love is love after all.
No need to argue.
What are you looking at, kid?
The single dad with children of his own?
Smiling at their father as does other children?
He does his best, he works hard and never wants to let them down
He's a good dad in my opinion.
Yes, a very handsome one too.
What are you looking at?
The mother who tries to make her child smile?
Oh the child! I see he's wearing pink.
And is that eye shadow? Oh she did it well, his mum did.
Oh and her daughter! Oh she looks cute in blue jeans.
And I love that blue shirt on her.
Oh those two! The ones who like rock music
Wear leather jackets, spikes, tattoos, piercings and black
Yet they're the kindest couple on earth.
Is all this bothering you child?
You shouldn't need to worry. They're all good people, all very nice.
They're all human inside.
Give them a smile dear!
That's it.

Be ****, but don't be a ****. Be modest, but don't be a *****. Be smart, but not smarter than your man. Be independent, but not so much that you never need a man. Be everything and nothing at all- all at once and at any given time.
•k.p. 5.30.16•

jia jia of supple plastic face
gracefully arranged hair
hands that gesture, eyes that roll
a lifelike porcelain doll
docile ****** expressions
perfect height to weight ratio
fluent in English and Mandarin
soothing, well-modulated tone
what can I do for you, my Lord?

the creator's goal
to refine programming
until jai jai can laugh and cry
learn to interact naturally
he calls her his
robot goddess
a wet-dream confection
with none of the messiness
of a full-fleshed playgirl

though she is artificial
and cannot feel
I pity my non-sentient sister
controlled by design
submission absolute
maybe she can fill
the hole left by women
who abandon conformity
to seek being real

Don't speak
We are silenced
We are shutdown
We are *crazy

Why?

Is it so impossible?
Is power really unattainable?
Is a voice that repulsive?

The rules aren't the same
Expression must be stifled
Love must be dimmed

Our thoughts, our hopes, our wants
They just aren't valid

**Are they?