We will never be truly free until every person believes that their life is worth as much as any other. Feminism is the belief in equality. Nothing more and nothing less. To say otherwise is to be misinformed.

I want to live in a world where women don't have to thread their keys through their knuckles on the walk home. A world where women don't have to fight for every ounce of respect they get as professionals. A world where the media looks at the villain with disgust and righteous anger, instead of looking at her violated body and asking "So what kind of whore are you?" I want to live in a world where a woman's right to her own body is just as sacred as her choices.

I believe in true equality, and if you want to tell me that it's a sin, I'll have you know that I'd rather be morally right in hell than presumtously bigoted in a heaven of my own delusion.

Joy comes not on triumphant wings

But on two feet

Finally strong enough to carry you

Farther than you had hoped

Still falling short of perfection

But drawing nearer to decent

Which is all you really wanted when you started

Jagged inhales surround you

In the rhythm of your slow victory

One step, another, in and out, and breathe

The pump of your heart

And the pound of your footfalls

Reminding you that as you collect

The ache in your side and your lungs and your legs

You outrun the willful weakness in your head

(Inspired by “Good Life” by One Republic)

Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want

Black and blue are the bruises we flaunt

We took heart from the heartless, feared not the fearless

And found ourselves not so separate from the rest

We gave up our heads for our hearts

Gave up the spare to save the necessary parts

Until we stand hopelessly, the hope is we

Still care enough to stare and see

We’re still young enough to say what we think

Passion pushes us against those turned to jade

We peer into the dark and we do not to blink

Riled, wild, unreconciled: rebellious; nature nurture made

Human lives are nothing but strings pulled tight

Lower cost of life, away with caution

Circumstance and consequence limit flight

Expectation hovers, smothering fight

Stuck in the old ways, no forward motion

Human lives are nothing but strings pulled tight

Opinion conquers fact with all its might

Fools prosper under official sanction

Circumstance and consequence limit flight

The death of our wills robs us of our light

Secure our borders, close off our factions

Human lives are nothing but strings pulled tight

We stumble headlong, with little foresight

Emphasize divides, separate nations

Circumstance and consequence limit flight

Too much to overcome, too hard to right

Too few stirring, straining, to take action

Human lives are nothing but strings pulled tight

Circumstance and consequence limit flight

We love to choose

To lose to love

Passion’s fuse

Ignites above

Our heads, they go

To Hell, minds lost

To night below

The dice are tossed

Search the dark

Fellow hearts

Friction sparks

We fall apart

And meld together

Fates twisted, tied

Heartstrings and leather

A reckless ride