From an early age, we’re told what’s right
“Don’t do this”, “Don’t wear that”
“Be like them and blend in”
But why must I do what society says,
When my heart feels a different way?
Am I not enough to live life my way?
They tells us how to speak, how to be
And silence our hearts if we disagree
“Don’t dream too big, don’t take that leap”
But in my soul my truths run deep
We grow up uniformed, too scared to ask,
Trapped in silence, hiding behind a mask
They don’t teach us about our health or rights
Or the power we hold to make our own fights.
They try to control both our bodies and minds
Making laws that bind us, telling us what’s right
But we are the ones who will rise and fight
Our bodies, our voices, reclaiming our rights
As a latina living in a traditional Mexican household, I never got the chance to express how I really felt. I wrote this poem to voice what many of us latina women grow up feeling. Since we’re little girls society places these standards on us that we’re just supposed to follow. It’s not limited to just society but even in our own households. We’re not allowed to have our own opinions because we are considered disrespectful and rebellious. They expect us to submit even if we don’t agree. This has caused me to always keep my thoughts and opinions to myself, preventing me from having an authentic relationship with my parents. Our mothers also have expectations of us to live our lives a certain way like staying pure until marriage. This expectation has always made me feel guilty because I didn’t wait. I do wish she would’ve approached things a different way. I wish she would’ve taught me about how to take care of myself if I was actively having sex. There should be more guidance not just from our parents but the school system. It is crazy to me that at the age of 22, I am finally learning to understand my body and reproductive system. It is important that young girls know that their body is undergoing changes and the reasons why. As these girls get older, it is important that they are informed about the different birth control alternatives and how to practice safe sex. Like for example teaching them about consent, STDs, and STIs . This way we will avoid long term consequences like a disease or an unwanted pregnancy. As a society, we must also shed light on the reproductive justice movement. This movement was created to achieve the goal that all women have “the economic, social, and political power and resources to make healthy decisions about our bodies, sexuality, and reproduction”. (ACRJ 2005, 1). No matter whether all women are given “the choice “ over their own bodies, there are still marginalized groups of women that don’t have the same advantages as white women due to factors like their social class and race. Therefore, we must keep advocating for these groups of women.
