The Definition of Woman
poems on gender
SUPPOSING
Supposing I thought of you as a man of courage
A man who knew his own mind
Who could look people in the eye and say
This is who I am
A man who could face danger for what he believes in
A man of commitment, down for the long haul
A man who could fight his own corner – and more
Someone you could count on to take your side
When you were facing injustice
Supposing I thought of you as a pioneer
We’re only just ankle deep into this new frontier
But you’ve already jumped in
And you’re swimming for the opposite shore
You say that I can’t be your friend
Unless I accept that you are a real woman
How can I answer that
When I don’t believe there is any such thing
We have our biology like every other animal
Then the lies are laid on top of it
Gender is not an identity, it’s a straitjacket
And you are fighting your way out of it
How could I not respect that
How could I not fight alongside you
Just as I would any other comrade
So much of human sexuality we don’t think, only feel
And then the feelings think for us
From the pill to the knife to genetic engineering
What’s going to be left of ‘normal’ in hundred years?
The future is bright
And terrifying
Supposing I thought of you as a woman of courage
A woman who knew her own mind
Who could look people in the eye and say
This is who I am
A woman who could face danger for what she believes in
A woman of commitment, down for the long haul
A woman who could fight her own corner – and more
Someone you could count on to take your side
When you were facing injustice
Supposing I thought of you as a pioneer
We’re only just ankle deep into this new frontier
But you’ve already jumped in
And you’re swimming for the opposite shore
Supposing either way – what difference would it make?