Girls are neat, girls are perfect
Girls are quiet, girls are nice.
Girls never have a temper
they never need to break the ice.
Girls are always happy
and they don’t yell because
that’s not how a girl would behave.
Girls are good, girls are perfect.
They never make a mistake
Pink princesses don’t taste the icing
before the birthday boy gets some.
Girls are petite, girls are small.
They’re little treasures for a boy to hold..
And all a girl wants in life
is not the same as needs.
Because the girl can’t do
anything she pleases.
Because girls can’t be smart.
They can’t be loud
and they must certainly not be proud
or sad
or angry.
They must blow every remark off
and say,
I’m okay.
Because that’s what a girl is
an object,
free of personality.
Because a girl can’t have feelings.
Because I’m not allowed to scream
or speak
or say my name with confidence
as I stride down a red carpet that I worked my way onto.
Because I am suddenly less privileged than a boy.
Because I am a girl.
Because I have opinions.
Because I have human emotions that can’t just be ignored
at the snap of a finger.
Because girls are more than
just innocent creatures who can’t
achieve anything.
Because girls shouldn’t be having body image problems
because of beauty standards.
Because boys will be boys just
doesn’t work anymore.
Because girls can’t be girls
or normal human beings
without conforming
without being shamed
without being perfect and nice and not angry
all the time.
Because I wish I could tell all the girls
who hate themselves because of society
that they can just be whoever they want to
whether that means pink princesses
or skateboard rebels.
Whether that means studying all day
or partying all night.
Whether that means
I just don’t have a passion or
video games for life.
Because all girls are different
with different personalities
just like boys.
Because girls are human, too.
And they don’t belong to you.