A poem by Caroline James, software consultant, for International Women’s Day
She is a woman.
She nurtures and gives life.
She plays multiple pivotal roles.
She is strong, she is giving, she is conscientious.
But somewhere…
Somewhere deep within she is trapped.
Trapped by the misogynistic views that our patriarchal society has been entrenched with.
Chained by the gender stereotypes, prejudices, biases and objectifications that our society has tied her to.
Don’t stereotype her on the color of her clothes, her behavior or her emotional and physical traits.
Don’t suppress her voice when she wants to speak up and conveniently label her with the tag of feminist or a social pariah.
Don’t make prejudiced opinions on her by the decisions she makes in life or use the length of her clothes as a yardstick to determine her character.
Don’t body shame her or let her believe that her physical traits define her beauty.
Just look at her as another human being,
Another person no different than you,
Another person that wants to live unfettered,
Another person that deserves respect, love and the freedom to make her own choices and carve out her own path.
Strengthen her, support her. Set her free.
Free from the walls, the society has confined her to.
Because she is a woman and she deserves this and so much more.
Happy IWD 2017. Here’s to Strong Women, May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.
