They’re rapping about ass and tits
To substantiate our bodies.
Saying they’d swim so deep in the pussy they’d drown.
Cat Women, Super Women, Poison Ivy,
Even our Iconic women are sexualized.
A women can’t be badass Without being seductive.
women with power
but their most prized feature is their body.
I’ve said it before,
and Ill say it again.
I am sick of being nothing more than my clothing.
I am not ass and tits.
This may surprise you but I actually have a personality,
and every time my clothes are deemed “too Distracting”
It is misjudged and thrown on the floor.
See,
I’d like to go one day walking with my head held high
Without being whistled at
“Damn baby let me get between those thighs”
or told to cover up
“Put a sweater on, you don’t want someone to see”.
I’d like to go to class and not be dismissed
When I am showing too much of my curves
or even just my damn shoulder!
Here’s my point,
I’m 17
I should not have to stand before men twice my age
and have them judge me based off of my clothing,
I shouldn’t have to watch their eyes pick apart what’s wrong.
When Truthfully,
There is nothing wrong.
These are just clothes
And this is just a body,
and I…
I am girl
and girl does not mean
“Sexualize me”
“Pry me apart”
“Look me up and down.”
Girl does not mean
“ass and tits”
“Drown so deep in the pussy I can still taste it,”
“Damn girl look at that body”
Girl does not mean
“You’re a distraction.”
“Don’t wear that again.”
“They did it because you have a butt.”
NO!
Girl means
power,
stand up for what you believe in.
Try and stop me
just watch I’ll fight back.
My ancestors didn’t protest for education rights
just for me to get removed from class
because I decided to wear leggings.
My ancestor’s protested
so I may wake up each morning
and learn with the same respect and privilege
as the men who stand before me.
But now the men
have got the women
falling for their tricks
saying leggings are an abomination
and if you have a body,
it must be sexualized immediately.
The men
are throwing jackets over our shoulders,
but not because we are cold,
but because we’ve got a little too much bust
and they can’t deal with looking and not touching.
Do it.
Throw me and my fellow classmates
In yet another room
away from our education.
We will not sit and watch you fill the room.
We will stand up against
and voice our opinion.
Because these shoulders are broad,
These soft hands have touched more souls then you have touched bodies,
and these bodies have pushed life into this world
and we can damn right take it back!
Girls
are not ass and tits.
Girls are power
and one day you will see
we can do anything that man can do
Except we don’t have to knock others down to get to the top.
So let me slip on my leggings,
and my Overly exposing shirt.
I’ll be nice and comfortable
as I change this world.
Girl Out.
Isabella, 17, attends Winder-Barrow High School and shared this piece at the Atlanta Word Works-VOX-hosted Teen Poetry Slam and Open Mic at the Decatur Book Festival 2016. 
VOX invites your original poetry, stories and art, too!
Email media@voxatl.org, and include your name, age, school (if applicable) and contact information. To participate in Atlanta Word Works free poetry and spoken word workshops at VOX, contactSarah@VOXAtl.org.
