I’m not entering the fray to join or continue a battle
I am so tired of fighting
I have been fighting all my life
to find Me
to be Me
So who am I?
I am the proud female descendant
of Norse women
of women throughout the ages who have fought for equality
of women who have lived through centuries of male domination
of women who battled desperation and mighty seas
who have sought and fought for better lives for them and their children
and freedom from suppression
freedom from domination and abuse
My generations of grandmothers did not fight for me
to dismissed
to be invalidated
to be devalued
From their own experiences as negated and denigated women
My grandmother taught me
to stand up for what I wanted
to take what I needed
to not allow myself to be second class
My aunt encouraged me
to look after Me
to put myself first
to self care
To be who I am
I didn’t understand when I was young
from the histories they were speaking from
of their battles they had warred
of the lives they had endured
to become the influential women
who passed their batons on to me
Only now
I see them
Women
standing for women
I have fought my whole life
to be free from male abuse
to set myself free from the trauma instigated upon me by males
It has taken me years
to be able to stand and look men in the eye
without fear
and without trepidation of denigration
I have fought for my own equality
& the equity of my sisters
no matter our colour or creed
for my right
to Be
to Just Be Me
I will not be negated
as a cis person
I am woman
I have not carried 11 babies within me
within my female body
birthing them from my womanly parts
to be relegated
a baby carrying person
I am Me
I am woman
I did not fight to feed 10 babies
for my battle wearied nurturing breasts
to be diminished
as chest feeders
I am Me
I am woman
Words are important to me
They express who I am
Do not invalidate me
Because of who you want to be
Can we please just respect each other
Can you be You
And I will be Me
I have fought too hard and too long
To again lose Me
