What if society celebrate us every day?! With so much going on nowadays, I decided to write something different from what I had in mind.
They call us so many things – housekeepers, directors, producers, screenwriters, novelists, artists, poets, social workers, doctors, scientists, stylists, musicians, engineers, waitresses, secretaries, architects, dentists, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, professors, designers, policewomen, chefs, lawyers, cashiers, businesswomen, athletes, soldiers, pilots…
Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, partners, neighbors…
They call us crazy, naive, whores, insane, ridiculous, dramatic. For expressing ourselves. For showing emotions. For being afraid of walking alone, being harassed. For wanting, for a second, to feel wanted, that we are worth it, beautiful… to feel feminine. And demand respect, equality.
When we protest with our soul to get justice, a change, rights, respect… people tell \”they protest because they have nothing else to do.\” Sometimes they even point at our home, cataloguing it full of violence just for demanding things that society doesn\’t understand… just for not being cowards. If they knew we are happy when we let ourselves BE.They call us victims of a misogyny society, or sometimes they just make fun of us… without even understanding the seriousness of what we live, calling us and pointing at us. If we are too good, we are \”too good to be true\” and they find flaws that don’t exist only to feed an ego… without even knowing us.
They don’t believe us. They believe us. They victimize us. They tag us. They stereotype us.Sometimes society wants to feel superior. \”Mine is stronger than yours.\” \”My career requires more years of study and dedication than yours\” or \”for God’s sake, your life is so easy\” or \”I’ve suffered more than you.\” Without even knowing in depth what that other career entails and the internal and external struggles of that person, how she faces life.
And while we focus on that, we forget that they call us so many things. The world keeps moving and calling us.
Calling us… liars, unscrupulous, false, objects. They blame us. And they trample us, they hit us, they rape us, they kill us. They throw us away as if we’re nothing. And those alive, live thinking how lucky we are because we haven’t gone through that or it happened but “at least we breathe, we are healthy.\”
Regardless of short or long skirt, short or long pants, tight or not, low-cut dresses and tops or not… the world keeps calling us in different ways.
Strong, invincible, vulnerable, powerful, treasures, clowns (in a good and in a bad way). \”That one,\” or \”the other.” Skinny. Fat. Highlighting our stretch marks, our scars, our wrinkles, our freckles and moles that they don’t like.They ask us what three words best describe us. And after thinking for more than 15 seconds, we just say something. Always different answers. Always the same words that live in our brain, whether we are conscious or not. Dedicated, loyal, strong, passionate, clumsy, smart, sweet, kind, comprehensive, respectful, honest, humble, vulnerable, sensitive, determined, with a good sense of humor (or clown), dreamer, stubborn, fighter, leader, trustworthy, unique, real…
They call us and they call us. And we are so much, much more, and sometimes less. Full of talents, skills, intelligence. Full of strength. Full of desires/dreams. They call us and point at us … why, why, why?
We are special because each one is unique. Full of experiences and strength that define us and give us all the tools to change this beautiful place we live in. Life is not a competition.
They call us everything, but EVERYTHING is what we need to keep devouring the world, keep fighting and be an example for girls and other women.
They call us and they call us – but what about you? What do YOU call yourself? Every day, look in the mirror and repeat how proud you are of yourself, of all that you are, you’re not, and are working to become. Be always LOVE, to receive love not only from others, but from yourself. You are perfect when you accept yourself as imperfect, and turn your weaknesses into strengths. Just be you, remembering that we are together in this.
Liz Lugo is a bilingual poet originally from Puerto Rico. She’s a microbiologist, editor, and short stories writer, and founder of the Smaeralit collection. Currently, she’s in her thesis for her master’s degree in Professional Screenwriting. Liz is multilingual in English, Spanish, Italian, and is learning ASL. She has an extreme fascination for comics/graphic novels. She loves to write Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Psychological Thriller, and Post-apocalyptic stories; as well as Drama, and promoting real and liberal stories that have an impact on today’s society. She also enjoys comedy, documentaries, westerns, foreign films.
Liz’s committed to the following causes: sexual harassment/abuse, rape, animal cruelty, human rights, verbal abuse, mental health, among others. When she’s not writing or analyzing films or TV shows, she’s up to a new adventure or just hearing music, dancing, cooking, or exercising.
“Dream the impossible and you’ll get the unexpected.” LL ♥
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