you can't hit a girl

"i don't believe in feminism, i believe in equality"
boys yell one time too many in the crowded eighth grade cafeteria
i want to scream "but feminsm is equality!!"
but i don't, because 
of course, that would get me called "crazy" "emotional" or "dramatic"
and it's too much work to try to explain
something they would shrug off immeadiately
and dismiss with a wave
and they'd argue with me, saying
"tell me one right guys have that girls don't"
i'd give 20 examples and all they'd respond with is
"you can't hit a girl"
you shouldn't hit anybody!!

and then there's gym class
where they say, "you're pretty good, for a girl"
and they act surprised when you do anything athletic or win a game
like they didn't believe it was possibe for a delicate girl to be tough
and they laugh when we get called "feminazis" because their friend said it,
and isn't he so cool?

but then you remember
the women's march on washington
500,000 people
all fighting for women
girls
mothers
daughters
nieces
friends 
and then the things they say
bounce off you like a rubber band
and you keep fighting
speaking out
being loud and disruptive
in hopes that someday,
they'll hear you