If I were a man for a day, I would change my wardrobe, cut my hair, and go to a barber that specializes in shaving. A straight razor wouldn’t scare me, and I would merge lanes without a turn signal. I think that I would try my best to be as comfortable as possible in any room.
The deep pockets of my pants would be holding my phone, wallet, and keys because my backpack wouldn’t have to carry everything. I could open the door for other people when I wanted to, and I wouldn’t have to think twice about worrying about my paycheck. I would take someone on a date to their favorite restaurant, and I would listen to them.
I would write love poems and have them published before the end of the day because I could. I would make sure that I had the handrail on the subway because I can reach much higher than those around me. If I were a man for a day, I’d wear suspenders and not unzip my pants when I need to use the washroom. I would take an extra 15 minutes on my lunch break, and then justify that I was held up by the office secretary because she was ‘talking my ear off.’
If I were a man for a day, I would thank my mom, sister, neighbor, grandma, every woman I would see on the street. If I were a man for a day, I would make sure that I made women feel seen in their unspoken skin because of how polarized my viewpoint is, but using my voice to be moving in a new way. I would make a change in something I knew would be groundbreaking. I would step outside of my own mind to be there.
If I were a man for a day, I would be a husband, best friend, boyfriend, and ex-lover with the utmost amount of respect. The comments I would hold in to avoid drawing attention to the fact that I once was in love with them, no matter how much hatred that I hold behind my teeth. I would thank the dentist for helping me have such great teeth. I would shop until I dropped, for a new tie to wear to my corporate job where I can say that the secretary ‘talks my ear off.’
If I were a man for a day, I would show up for the men that didn’t. I would make a change. I would take a stance.