My Voice

For as long as I can remember, the world has tried to tell me who and what I should be; what clothes I should wear, how I should cut my hair, how I should speak (or remain silent) and, yet, for just as long I have rebelled. I may be a quiet person but I do not have a silent mind. I will not be told who I should be. I will wear what I want, cut my hair however I want, and say what I want. I will get tattoos, I may pierce my ears, I will cry when I am sad, I will call out injustice, I will speak when a woman is expected to remain silent, I will hold my head up high when I am expected to keep it down, I will fight for my dreams (even if they are not the dreams planned out for me) and I will be every bit of my true self. If you love me, you will stand behind me because you know I have what it takes to succeed and nothing will get in my way. Because you know that I deserve happiness and if this is what I want then that is what I deserve to have. Because you know I'm smart enough and honorable enough to know right from wrong and you can trust my judgment. Because you love me, you respect me, and you trust me. If you don't, you clearly don't know me.