Why I Need Feminism (A Poem)

I need feminism because when I said I wanted to be President of the United States

I was told to “lower my expectations” and that “It’s too hard of a job for a girl.”

I need feminism because I will get paid less than the man doing the same job as me simply because I am a woman.

I need feminism because when I tell people I’m a feminist they automatically assume I’m a “man-hating feminazi.”

I need feminism because in the United States, a woman is raped every six seconds. And often, the victim is blamed.

I need feminism because people think rape jokes are funny.

I need feminism because my mother taught me how to defend myself from a situation of rape when I was 9.

I need feminism because some think “no” means “convince me.”

I need feminism because I’m scared to walk down a street alone at night.

I need feminism because there are women who are murdered because they had rejected a man.

I need feminism because if I lived in a different country, I could be married with kids at the age of 14. I need feminism because somewhere, if a woman is raped, she could be killed because she is no longer a pure virgin.

I need feminism because Gendercide exists.

I need feminism because there are men who throw acid to a woman’s face after she had refused them.

I need feminism because “women are more likely to be maimed or die from male violence than from cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined.”

I need feminism because in most countries, “30-60% of women had experienced physical or sexual abuse by a husband or boyfriend.”

I need feminism because men are more disgusted with periods than rape.

I need feminism because human trafficking is the second most valued criminal industry, after narcotics.

I need feminism because politicians want to take control of the woman’s body.

I need feminism because it’s more socially acceptable to be anti-feminist.

I need feminism because I shouldn’t have to be restricted because of my gender.

I need feminism because I believe in equality.

I need feminism because “Women might just have something to contribute to civilization other than their vaginas.”