Women's Writes - Works

Women's Writes

Well-behaved women seldom make history.
— Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Day 30

Hey, we’re almost there. The month has gone by so slowly…and so fast. It’s been a strange month for me, but it looks like I’m going to make it. Unless an asteroid hits tomorrow, or perhaps something more mundane but equally effective at stopping my pen.

Tonight I was thinking about all the roles women are expected to fill. Most of them are not spoken. We are not told we have to do this because, well, because we are women, but we are asked to do these things, and sometimes not asked but expected to understand. It’s who women are, right? It’s what we’re for, right? Things that are not expected of men, and that they are not criticized if they don’t do. So tonight, I just want to let the world know I don’t.

I DON’T

 As a general rule, I don’t.
Don’t what?
Just…don’t.
Whatever you were about to ask.
Make you a sandwich.
Dust the office.
Vacuum and clean the toilets.
I don’t.
I don’t water the plants.
I don’t make the coffee.
I don’t buy gifts for your wife.
I don’t.

 As a general rule, I don’t.
Don’t what?
Just…don’t.
Whatever you were about to ask.
Believe your line.
Go home with you.
Kiss you.
Take off my clothes and go to bed with you.
I don’t.
I don’t flirt with you.
I don’t drink with you.
I don’t dance with you.
I don’t do kinky things with you.
I don’t.

 As a general rule, I don’t.
Don’t what?
Just…don’t.
Whatever you were about to ask.
Quit my job.
Be a stay home wife.
Have babies for you.
I don’t.
I don’t belong to you.
I don’t submit to you.
I don’t bow down to you.
I don’t take crap from you.
I don’t.

 As a general rule, I don’t.
Don’t what?
Just…don’t.
Whatever you were about to ask.
Sit on a pedestal.
Be the other half.
Be the silent partner while you have fun.
I don’t need you.
I don’t need you to take care of me.
I don’t need you to bring home the bacon.
If we are to be together,
It must be understood.
I am with you only because I want to be with you.
I will stay with you if you remember
I don’t.