The next time

Dear men of the world,

The next time you stare at a woman, taking inventory of her body, the next time you refer to a woman as "it" or "that", the next time you allow yourself or one of your buddies to demean, demoralize, or otherwise debase any woman at any time, remember this:

We are someone's daughter. We are someone's mother. We are someone's light. We nurture children. We are strong and determined. We are intelligent. We have feelings that matter. We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. And we are, above all else, amazing. Nothing short of phenomenal in fact.

Yes, we wear clothes to highlight our assets. Yes we are beautiful and charming. Yes we want to be liked, and even loved. But no where, in any of that, do we give you the right to treat us as anything less than everything.


It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth
The swing of my waist
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman Phenomenally
Phenomenal woman
That's me.
-Maya Angelou: from the poem "Phenomenal Woman"