You Want To Talk About Being a Woman

I raise my voice

And he starts to scream

He is praised for his wisdom

But I’m pretty sure I made that point a week ago

The thing is, he grabs the attention

Except for when they are seeking to look at something

My ideas are invalidated

But my looks — although conservative — aren’t

I am not a man

I am a woman

A woman that is brilliant, not just from the outside

But that doesn’t matter to them, does it?

Why do I feel like I owe you something?

Like I owe you a laugh when you spit out a sexist joke

Or a sorry if you talk over me

Or praise if you respect my boundaries

What is this society?

And why are we not uniting for change

How can you not fight to earn as much as him

For a job you work harder at