Women
Always being told who to be and how to act.
Told I could be anything by Barbie,
but then told to look like her.
At 6 told that I had to be careful walking alone,
At 10 was told “Bleed = breed” after my body started to change,
At 12 was catcalled for the first time by old men,
At 14 was told I couldn’t be alone with my uncle,
At 15 someone I considered a friend made sexual jokes about me,
At 16 my father's friend said if he was younger,
Now 17 and scared as to how it can get worse,
The listed experiences in this life have been mild and almost nothing
Why must this be the norm for so many not women but girls?
When can a girl walk down the street in the dark without a taser?
Can we ever feel safe in our bodies?
Or are we just Women?
Copyright © Reyna Hester-Avila | Year Posted 2025
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