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An Ode To The Feminine
Sometimes I wish I weren’t a girl.
When it takes me two hours to get sand out of my long hair when it takes ten minutes for my brother, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I get stomach cramps every month and have to sacrifice fifty days per year of my life to the pain, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I am asked to cover up my body and skin, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I see female maids and cooks working day and night for men who lounge around without a care in the world, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I have to go through hours of pain to remove hair from my skin to look ‘pretty’, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I wear a short dress and eyes fall to my legs instead of my face, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I have to rethink a hundred times before posting a picture of myself on social media, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When people tell me to be decent and homely, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I am looked down at for speaking up about my opinions, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I have to work twice as hard to attain half of the credit that men get, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When my ideas are brushed aside because of my exterior, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When catcalls and wolf-whistles follow me wherever I go, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I’m asked to carry pepper spray with me at all times, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When my parents forbid me from going out late at night for fear of predators, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I have to always watch my back from the dangers of this world, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I am mocked and ridiculed and made fun of because of my ‘ugliness’, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I am asked to harm myself to adhere to societal beauty norms, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When news reports of female kidnappings and rapes reach my ears, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When my face and body are valued more than my mind and brain, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When the patriarchal society around me dictates every aspect of my life, I wish I weren’t a girl.
When I am asked not to dream, I wish I weren’t a girl.
But there are times when the world shows me that it isn’t as bad as I thought it was.
When I wear my hair down and it frames my face, I am glad I’m a girl.
When a shirt brings out my curves and a pair of boots uplifts me, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I see the beauty of women all over, I am glad I’m a girl.
When a random woman defends me from men on the street, I am glad I’m a girl.
When girls travel in groups to the bathroom to help each other, I am glad I’m a girl.
When ten women offer pads to a girl that needs them, I am glad I’m a girl.
When stories of motherhood, hope and new beginnings travel around, I am glad I’m a girl.
When women roam the streets wearing the most marvelous dresses ever, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I run through a field of tulips, my hair and skirts flying around me, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I hear my melodious soft voice and the voices of other women, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I go outside and see all the beautiful women that exist in the world, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I learn about powerful and confident women who fight for themselves, I am glad I’m a girl.
When women in power do their part to make the world a better place, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I look at myself in the mirror and admire my beautiful body, I am glad I’m a girl.
When women uplift each other as men continue to put us down, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I look at what I can create with my mind and imagination, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I’m taught that all powerful symbols such as Liberty, Justice, Hope, and Mother Nature are personified as female figures, I am glad I’m a girl.
When my dreams are encouraged and I am given the liberty to soar, I am glad I’m a girl.
When I think of myself and always see a beautiful, powerful, fearless, worthy girl standing there, I am glad I am me.
The world isn’t always a good place, but it’s not always a bad place either. Goodness exists in the world and this goodness is born because of the existence of the feminine. The feminine are the ones who bind the world together and keep it from splitting. The feminine kindness and sunshine, along with the power and confidence of the feminine take the world to new heights. The feminine will always be the ones who shine out against the darkness of the world.
And I am glad that I am feminine.
From the beginning of the world, it has always been hard to be a girl. Girls are shunned for being weak. Women are shunned for not raising their kids properly. Mothers are shunned for not bearing socially acceptable children. All this happens while men are lauded across the world, simply for being men. Why is this the case? Why should women bear the brunt of something that is not their fault at all? This is a personal narrative from a girl who just wants to live freely without constant fear of not being good enough, of being pushed to the side, of having her life taken away from her.
Smrithi Senthilnathan is a 16 year old writer from India. From a very young age she’s nurtured a passion for reading books and writing stories. Recently, she started to channel that passion into working on longer projects, like novels. Some of her stories have been published in online literary magazines. When she’s not writing maniacally, you can find her playing the piano or reading with a steaming cup of hot chocolate in her hand.