For most people, when something lays heavy on their heart they find their outlet, whether it be religion or whatever, and release the baggage. Well, this is it for me. This is my outlet. Writing. And something is laying heavy on my heart lately, but I have a small problem.
     I can’t seem to write about it myself, due to its heavy weight and emotions. I know one day I’ll be able to alone. Someday is not today. But, whoever said our outlet had to be our own work?
     And as they say; when words fail, music speaks.

For you, Dad.

Four years old with my back to the door
All I could hear was the family war.
Your selfish hands always expecting more,
Am I your child or just a charity ward?

You have a hollowed out heart,
But it’s heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it but it’s hopeless.
Hopeless, you’re hopeless.

Oh, father, please, father,
I’d love to leave you alone,
But I can’t let you go.
Oh, father, please, father.
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter.

It’s been five years [almost a year] since we’ve spoken last
And you can’t take back
What we never had.
Oh, I can be manipulated
Only so many times,
Before even “I love you”
Starts to sound like a lie

You have a hollowed out heart
But it’s heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it but it’s hopeless
Hopeless, you’re hopeless

Oh, father, please, father
I’d love to leave you alone
But I can’t let you go
Oh, father, please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter

Don’t you remember I’m your baby girl?
How could you push me out of your world,
Lied to your flesh and your blood,
Put your hands on the ones that you swore you loved?
Don’t you remember I’m your baby girl?
How could you throw me right out of your world?
So young when the pain had begun
Now forever afraid of being loved

Oh, father, please, father
I’d love to leave you alone
But I can’t let you go
Oh, father, please, father

Oh, father, please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
For the love of a daughter

Until next time,

Tay

     This may be considered an unpopular opinion, but it’s something that needs to be said; and it needs to be said loudly.
     We’ll start with the infamous Kim Kardashian nude she, herself, posted on Twitter this past week. Of course, after tweeting this picture, it instantly went viral across the internet, giving everyone, everywhere, their right to opinions. As always, everyone is always entitled to their own thoughts, opinions, beliefs. And here is mine.
     As the quote above states, “It is a man’s job to respect a woman, but it is a woman’s job to give him something to respect.” I 100% agree with this. If you flaunt your naked body for everyone to see, it’s m not boys disrespecting you. Its you disrespecting you.
     You can be confident. In fact you should be confident. But why must confidence include your naked body? That’s what bothers me about the Kim Kardashian nude. It only sets examples for young girls who see that picture and think “She did it. I can too.” it’s setting the wrong example for young girls who look up at her.
      Most people will argue that women should be able to post nude photos without being sexualized, or wear short shorts without having to change at school. This is what our society calls “feminism.” But equality is not what society today has defined “feminism” as. We have defined it as if women should be held a higher title than that of a man. That is not equality.
      However, the standards we have for our society prevent that and there are multiple parties to blame.
     In a way, girls allow themselves to be sexualized by boys by the way they respect themselves. As difficult as that is to comprehend, it’s true. Its the same with boys and girls. I see posts on social media all the time of a shirtless Zac Efron with the caption “😝😍💦” If girls are allowed to do it to boys, it just gives boys every right to do it to girls.
     Girls know when boys just want their bodies and nothing more. And instead of saying “No I will not send you a nude.” or “No I will not sext you. I am better than that” they just keep them on and on. Saying no to having your body sexualized isn’t being a prude. Its called knowing your self worth and respecting it.
     Do you want to know why that “fuckboy” is still a “fuckboy”? Because girls today let him be. They don’t have respect for themselves, hence why the boy doesn’t have respect for them either. By sending him nudes, and texting that boy over and over again after he has proven he does not care about you, you allow him to be a “fuckboy.” You allow him to not respect you, which only makes you just as bad as him. If you want people to respect you, you have to respect yourself.
     When you were younger and disrespected your mother, most times your mother would stop doing what you disrespected her about. After a time without her doing that certain thing, you eventually learn to respect her because you no longer have her to do that thing. Its the same concept. When you stop letting people sexualize your body, they’ll learn to respect you. Never have I seen a boy completely drool over a girl for no reason. The reason is because the girl let’s him. Boys will learn to respect girls when we respect ourselves.
     I also believe a lot of our body sexualization comes from the media. Think of it this way.
-A movie is made with a super hot Jennifer Aniston scene (she is beautiful.  I will admit that!) with her wearing short shorts.
-A teenage girl sees that movie, and in turn thinks that short shorts are “hot”, so she then sends a risque picture to a boy, imitating the same outfit as Jennifer Aniston.
-Schools don’t allow short shorts for girls anymore due to the fact that boys sexualize them.

     Its a long chain reaction of sorts. End of the story- the minute girls stop sexualizing themselves is when boys will stop sexualizing them too. Society defines what is sexual and what is not, so who can change it? Us. Society.
     Its a two way street, and I believe that if girls start respecting themselves more, then society will start to respect them as well.
     Nothing will change unless we change it. As Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
     Respect yourselves. Love yourselves.
     I will leave you with that.

Until next time,

Tay