How Many Women?
Ivanka Fear
How many women have cried?
How many women does it take to cry an ocean?
How many oceans of tears does it take to drown years of injustice?
You can be whatever you want to be, little girl.
President someday (well, perhaps not that),
or at least Vice-President (be grateful for that possibility).
Daddy’s rooting for you, baby doll.
Girls can do whatever boys do. Women can do men’s work.
(It’s not your fault you weren’t born a boy).
You have the right to vote, young woman.
It was a hard won victory — don’t let it go to waste.
Suffragettes suffered, raged for the privilege born unto men.
Someday your Prince Charming will come, Princess,
and he will rule your world; that is the most important thing.
You can be queen of your own castle, little lady.
Home ownership in your name, no less,
(provided your earnings are on par with males in the same occupation).
Why, the law allowed that last century (unless you were a black woman).
You’re no one’s property. You own it, girl!
You can make your own decisions, sweetheart.
It’s the 21st century, not the Middle Ages.
Your body is your own, as is your mind.
Not long ago, men decided women are people, too,
and only men can take back the rights they bequeathed.
But that’ll never happen, Mama.
Payback for women’s liberation?
Putting feminists in their place?
Retribution for the ‘Me Too’ movement?
Shutting down those voices that dared to speak?
Misogynists making choices for us?
Taking our choices away?
Not happening. Not in this century.
We are women. We are human. We are no less than man.
We choose. We live with those choices. Our choices.
We endure. We suffer. We rise above.
How many women have cried?
As many as have existed. As many as have yet to be born.
As many as it takes.
Ivanka Fear
How many women have cried?
How many women does it take to cry an ocean?
How many oceans of tears does it take to drown years of injustice?
You can be whatever you want to be, little girl.
President someday (well, perhaps not that),
or at least Vice-President (be grateful for that possibility).
Daddy’s rooting for you, baby doll.
Girls can do whatever boys do. Women can do men’s work.
(It’s not your fault you weren’t born a boy).
You have the right to vote, young woman.
It was a hard won victory — don’t let it go to waste.
Suffragettes suffered, raged for the privilege born unto men.
Someday your Prince Charming will come, Princess,
and he will rule your world; that is the most important thing.
You can be queen of your own castle, little lady.
Home ownership in your name, no less,
(provided your earnings are on par with males in the same occupation).
Why, the law allowed that last century (unless you were a black woman).
You’re no one’s property. You own it, girl!
You can make your own decisions, sweetheart.
It’s the 21st century, not the Middle Ages.
Your body is your own, as is your mind.
Not long ago, men decided women are people, too,
and only men can take back the rights they bequeathed.
But that’ll never happen, Mama.
Payback for women’s liberation?
Putting feminists in their place?
Retribution for the ‘Me Too’ movement?
Shutting down those voices that dared to speak?
Misogynists making choices for us?
Taking our choices away?
Not happening. Not in this century.
We are women. We are human. We are no less than man.
We choose. We live with those choices. Our choices.
We endure. We suffer. We rise above.
How many women have cried?
As many as have existed. As many as have yet to be born.
As many as it takes.