Slam Poetry

Gender barriers

Freshman year English

We read Romeo and Juliet

The teacher doesn't care if guys play female

Soon as a female wants a guys role

He flips out

Says "you can't break gender roles"

I sit there

Thinking to myself

What the FUCK did you just say?

Women can't play men

But men can play women?

First week on the job

Boss calls me into the office

Women aren't supposed to take the groceries outside

I stare at him

May I ask why?

He replies

Because you have a higher chance of being raped

I laugh

The boys and men on our team have the same chance of being raped!

People just call it "getting laid"

But who gives a shit!

I quit the next day

Talking to one of my guy friends in the horse barn

He says that he is tired of not being allowed to do barrels, flags, or poles

Just because he is a guy

I laugh and look at him

I want to do steer wrestling

He nods

We should be allowed to do the exact same things

He understands gender equality!

Why can't teachers

Or bosses

Or any adult

Understand that they are part of the reason I am mad

That they could help fix gender equality

But instead

They put me down

Say women and men can't do the same things

I'm tired of this!

If my teacher didn't try to keep me from playing Romeo

There wouldn't be a problem

If my "boss" didn't say I couldn't carry groceries

I wouldn't need to worry

About gender equality

We need more people like my friend from the barn

Those who agree that men and women

Are created equal

I might be from the rib of a man

But I am my own person

I can do everything and anything a man can do

So stop trying to put me down

Just because I am a woman

It shows me that you fear me

Fear what I can do

That's your problem

Not MINE!