I was 13

I was 13

I went out to walk

A man my dad's age

Stared hard

At my non-existant breasts. 

Every part of my body felt gross. 

What had I done? 

What had I worn? 

How had I looked? 

That I drew such attention! 

It took me 10 years to realize

The gross was in that man's head. 

I was 13.

 

I was 16.

I was at my first job. 

Every other person was way older than me. 

And they knew I was underage. 

Yet

A guy hit on me. 

Sneakily got my number, 

Tried to get me alone in a room. 

I was terrified of working-

Terrified of dealing with

A lifetime of such men. 

I was 16.

 

I was 19.

My male friend asked me out. 

I said no. 

I said I have a boyfriend. 

He felt I was just a goal

Who had a goalkeeper

But could, nevertheless, be scored. 

I was 19.

 

To the parent of a son

Okay.

I will stay at home at night.

I won’t drink.

I won’t party at clubs.

I won't wear short clothes.

I won’t talk and laugh openly in public.

I know it’s for my good. I will take care of me.

But what will you do for my good?

When will you tell your sons?

She’s not asking for it;

She’s not all breasts and vagina;

She’s not supposed to look thin or fair.

She’s not supposed to be whistled at,

Winked at or blown kisses at.

That

He is supposed to see her as an equal,

A living entity-a whole made of many parts.

That

"No" means exactly that!

Women don't have a separate language.

That

Perverts who objectify women

Are the ones “asking for”-

A slap on their face.

The day you teach him that-

Then- I will truly be safe.



Recently, I heard a crazy remark on the "Teach your sons not to rape" quote: What parents teach their sons to rape? 

Parents do no teach them to rape;NEITHER DO THEY TEACH THEM NOT TO RAPE. We need to impregnate our sons with the need to respect women, that eve teasing and rape is lowly. We need to spell that out. We need to teach the meaning of no and of a less known concept of "consesual sex". We need to make teaching this a cultural norm!