Rise Up

http://onebillionrising.org/

I'm reading
A history
Of women in power in England
Before Elizabeth I
The injustices these women faced!
Married off as political pawns at birth
Literally entering those marriages at 12
And being carted around Europe
And bearing the children
Of unfaithful
Selfish
Arrogant kings
Imagine being a 12thC princess
No thanks!

But if only
The trampling of women
Were "history"

Today I read
How the upcoming
Children's films
For 2013
Do nothing to promote
The visibility of women
On screen

Yesterday Upworthy published an article
Congratulating Dove for using
"real women"
In its "real beauty" campaign
Yes, they weren't anorexic
But where was their cellulite?
Or their stretch marks?
Or body hair?
Or skin "blemishes"?
Just as photoshopped and airbrushed as the
Derided Victoria's Secret
bikini models
Visible but conformist
To the gaze
That requires
Perfect bodies

The answer?
Speak out!
Say it is wrong!
Point out where the trouble is
But
The Independent
Published an article
About how when women speak out
They are literally told to
Shut up

Today
If you are a powerful woman
You are a witch
A bitch
A liar
Criticized for not wearing makeup
For wearing too much makeup
For being visible at all

I'm sick of
People not treating
Other people
As people
Because of race gender beliefs
Whatever
I'm sick of living
In a culture
So entrenched for
Centuries
That prizes women for
Their glorified looks
For their silence

I want to live in a world
Where people are people
The end.

In two weeks
Eve Ensler is calling
For people to
Rise
To stand up against
Inequality
And brutality
Towards women

I want to rise
To say
Whoever you are
Whether you identify as man woman or neither
Please can we just work together
To make life on this unstable planet more bearable
More fun
More beautiful
To ensure
Every person
Born to this planet
Has good food
And shelter
And access to music
And culture
And freedom of expression
And freedom to be
Themselves
Perfect
Just as they are

The end.