Poems on Gender
GENDER ESSENTIALISM
There is no such thing as an essence of woman
There is no such thing as an essence man
Not in biology
Not in gender identity
We don’t exist as definitions
We exist as individuals
And even that is an abstraction
Where is it, exactly, that I end
And the rest of the universe begins
The problem is…
History makes definitions
How does it do that?
By making victims
The definition of woman has been written in blood over thousands of years
The definition of woman is a gaping wound in the heart of the human race
The definition of woman is a fairy tale that began with the crack of a whip
Because women are enslaved
Men are enslaved
Because women are enslaved
Children are property
Because women are enslaved
Sexuality is in chains
Deviation is a crime
Gender is a cage
How do you fight a definition?
First, you take over the prison
Then you burn down the walls
I am woman
Becomes a statement of power
You have given me a name
I will own it
And turn it into a weapon
I am woman
Becomes a battle cry
You have made us into an army
When we march
The earth will tremble
I am woman
Becomes a mighty fortress
But in a fortress, you are safe behind prison walls
Now is the time for fire
Burn down the walls, march out, and free the world
In the meantime
Before breakfast
Do the dishes from last night
One day there will be no such thing as woman or man
Only a rainbow
But the definition of woman is still being written today
The fortress still has walls, because they are still needed
After centuries of war, maybe the gatekeepers are edgy
But in a man’s world, mistakes can be deadly
If you’re knocking on the door, knock gently
