They say
that night brings out the demons,
And that
home is your escape.
But what
happens when my work
keeps me
later than I anticipate?
Am I to be
fearful of what lurks ahead?
Would
calling a friend work instead?
I scan my
environment consistently,
As they've
been kidnapping women recently.
I see them
watching, oh the misogyny.
Why won't a
man make safe company.
Should I
defend myself using my fist?
I can't, I'm
small at the wrist.
Should I run
or play their game?
Doesn't
matter, both results in the same.
So you tell
me one gender is superior over the other?
A
stereotype; furled and unbothered like
any other.
We project
and advocate intersectionality,
Because
gender is not always our biggest identity.
And why
should we have to fight for our rightful place?
In our own
turf, where we were born and raised.
Racially
profiled and stigmatized,
"Just a
woman" is how I'm recognized.
They tell me
that I'm soft and delicate,
Made of
porcelain and easy to break.
Yes I may be
a woman,
But first
I'm also human.
So today I
raise my voice,
It is for
you to make the choice.
I suspire
and ache for freedom,
Do you
really need him?
Saihminghlui Sailo, also our 1st sem student, won the second prize for this poem at the Gender Equality Writing competition. She took home Rs 1500/- and a certificate for these fine lines.
