Disclaimer: this manifesto aims to highlight the oppressions, fears, and commonalities of the female experience. it is, at best, a generalization of common events. while it should be taken seriously, it is not a summation of the actions of all people, nor should it be read as gender-exclusive.
the missing anatomy
when he asks,
“what are you into?”
he does not mean
“what can i do to please you?”
rather, he means,
“what are you willing to let me do to you?”
means,
“if i don’t like it, we aren’t doing it.”
means,
“female pleasure doesn’t even exist.”
how lucky are we
to know what a clitoris is.
street cred
there are important things to remember
when earning your street cred:
keep a tight fist;
stick a key blade between
your ring and middle finger,
let it see the bare night;
wear long pants,
the scent of leg
attracts predators;
walk in groups
because this
is a pack mentality
and protection
is necessary for survival
in a hunting ground.
consent
my virginity is not yours
to take,
nor mine to give;
it is the space between the letters
in the word consent.
rape
definition: a back-alley procedure.
for the price of no consent,
you can get a whole lifetime
of ptsd:
constantly refreshing images,
a scream,
a painting,
a dissociation of body
and mind.
even scathing showers will
not clean this from you.
getting a job
make sure you come prepared
with a smile
and some cleavage,
just enough to tease,
but not enough to suggest.
this
will make the manager like you.
working a job
when the manager corners you in the back,
puts his hand on your shoulder,
whispers in your personal space,
do not cry.
deciding to be okay
with the way the manager touches you
is how you get places.
crying
do not falter,
ever.
crying is a sign of weakness,
and they can smell it.
they will prey on you,
and you
become a liability.
womanhood
live in constant anger.
be angry at the fact that we
are a summation of our parts;
be angry that we
have little say in what is done to us,
be angry that speaking up
means being labeled as a man-hater.
be so angry
that people begin to fear you,
because they will not understand you.
the manifesto
this is not a manifesto.
it is a survival guide,
a list of words with no
cultural significance.
how can i write a manifesto
for a world
so hellbent on
not changing?