I Feel Pretty

The first time someone called me sir,

I felt every fear and anxiety

I have ever had about my appearance

rise to the forefront of my mind.

I’d been called manly in the past by “friends,”

but this was a complete stanger;

and it wasn’t just a slip of the tongue.

I will never forget the hours upon hours

I spent after that day making sure

I left the house hair down and curled,

Mascara, eyeliner, foundation, blush,

lipstick, nail polish, an earring in each ear.

I would never be mistaken for a boy, again.

Because, for some reason,

girls who didn’t “look” like girls

were, in my mind, thought to be less, or ugly,

or unworthy.

Once I realized how shitty that was,

I did the exact opposite and boycotted everything

I thought to be “girly.”

That wasn’t the answer.

Here a few things I learned, in my twenty two years.

Number one,

My worth has nothing to do with my appearance.

Number two,

If I feel comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt,

That’s what I’m wearing that day.

And number three, the hardest one,

If I feel like wearing makeup or putting on jewelry,

It’s not because I think my value will be greater.

It’s because it makes me happy,

and I don’t give a shit what you think.

#myworks #myworks #poetry