I never considered myself a feminist.

I Never Considered Myself A Feminist
By Eliza Jane Triste

I never considered myself a feminist.
I always hoped for equality, regardless of race, gender or religion.
But then you closed your ears and turned your face.
This frightened me,
As if you made women insignificant.
For of all the intolerance and injustice that I see
The worst is done to women.

I never considered myself a feminist.
But all I see in every culture, religion and country
Are women that have been wronged for centuries
We have suffered to support you in war
Yet we've been forgotten by you in peace
And even now our voices fall upon your deaf ears.

I never considered myself a feminist.
Yet you will never know what it is to be a woman
How rape and violence will shadow our doorsteps
Sometimes it lies within, surrounded by empty cans and filled bins
Hostility will creep around every corner of our lives
As a weapon, against our bodies, minds and cause.
Yet you’ve called our harassment a pack of lies

I never considered myself a feminist.
For we who've waited for so long
We watched the emancipations of others
We rallied for their rights, and when they were gained
We asked for their support, and heads were turned away
But how much longer must we wait for you to give us ours?

I never considered myself a feminist.
You laugh and say that we are all free
How easy to believe, when you and I are not even paid equally.
You will not face the expectations of raising a family
Of being paid less, and given more to do
Nor will the elderly knock on your doors for your care
And should we face divorce, it is us who will get the bill.

I never considered myself a feminist.
Still you consider us equal as you make a joke of it
My rally hasn't ended, my equality hasn't been won
"Why should I need rights when I should only bear you a son?"
And still you think it fair and right to jest about my hopes
But why should you know?
You will never be excluded from opportunity.

I never considered myself a feminist.
And I know you will never be a woman.
You will never feel the indignity of hearing,
"Woman, go make me a sandwich."
You will never feel the anger of being told,
"Women shouldn't speak."
You will never feel the binding shackles of laughter at,
"Women belong in the kitchen."
If men had shared our history would they still find this funny?

I never considered myself a feminist.
But when you said it wasn’t worth the time to hear
I felt the millennia of betrayal that all women have had to bear
In truth you lost my patience and you crushed my trust
You easily raised the blade and struck
And assisted the injustice through ignorance
I have felt your bitter knife and stumbled from the blow
But no consequences will burden your shoulders.

I never considered myself a feminist.
But why should fighting for my rights, my life, my gender,
Be treated with such disrespect?
Who are you to insult them?
When they are the very people who birthed you
Fed you, schooled you, clothed you, watched you
Praised you, cared for you, nursed you, played with you
Loved and hoped, for you.
What repayment have they received, now that you are grown?

I never considered myself a feminist
That you should be so mighty, and never fail to remind us.
Your ignorance disgusts me, and you villianized my cause.
All we want is equality, not to told about our roles.
And if you like the woman’s place so much than why don't you try it.
And tell me, is it a joke and do you find it funny?

I never considered myself a feminist.
But goddamn it, I'm really fucking tired of being told I’m wrong.