What Was She Wearing
Show me the man slumped over the counter with a bullet in his head
Dressed like someone who deserves to be dead.
Tell me the 6 year old girl assaulted in church was asking for it.
Or the girl raped in gym class looked like a slut in those sweat pants.
What clothes – pulled from what rack
Will prevent an attack?
Tell me the store – and I’ll go back
And buy the right clothes this minute –
The outfit that prevents rape if you’re in it.
See I didn’t understand
I didn’t understand that I could buy a shirt that says ‘I deserve to be hurt’
I had no clue I could put on a shoe
That says do whatever you want to do to me
See, your needs come first
After all I am wearing a tight skirt
Instead of the assault-proof dress
And I notice that you have the fault-proof vest
So it’s my fault I guess
Apparently I didn’t say No as loud as my clothes could say Yes
See I didn’t know that my No wasn’t enough
I didn’t understand that my body became less precious
‘Cause certain dresses made me look hot
And I guess if I’m wearing the wrong top
Then my yes is the same as my ‘Stop’
And you shouldn’t have to, just because I begged you to
I’m begging you, tell me the magic outfit and I’ll buy it
Apparently my No wasn’t heard even when I screamed
So I need my clothes to be quiet.
By Steve Connell
http://poetry-24.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeletePlease see the above for another poem.
Very nice of you to have shared this poem. We are glad to receive such responses. We have posted it...Thanks for the solidarity...
DeleteThis poem is very well & good - but other than the parts which show rape happening irrespective of dress - it blares the right that your dress/ non-dressing should be tolerated whatever it is.
ReplyDeleteWe give the army the power to kill because the army is already equipped with the responsibility to use such a power as and when possible. It is RESPONSIBILITY that justifies POWER not the other way round. Consider a case where you wear a bikini and walk through the road and someone rapes you. That someone abused the power he has i.e the fact that he has a man's body and he raped you - this shows that he is irresponsible in using his body as well as an abuser of power.
You at the same time invoked the right of jailing this person, which is a power given to you. While you use this, you at the same time acted irresponsibly whether the rape took place or not, why the hell should you go scot-free for abusing this same power vested to you?? I use the word 'abuse' here because you acted in a supremely individualistic manner while you used the power which the society gave to you for your own protection; in other words you insulted society by disrespecting its own sense of courtesy especially as it has extended the same to you and at the same time you do not have a problem to use this very same society's power????
Feminists must stop being hypocritical and blatantly use double-standards. When you use a power, then use it in a manner that does not disrespect its creator. What I am against is the way in which you people raise your voices for equal rights but want to shirk of the responsibility that comes with it.
And as long as you oppose the refining of draconian laws like 498a as well as adultery cases in which only man can be punished - We MRA will oppose you to hell all the way and back