During last week’s debate, as I watched Hillary Clinton stand with quiet strength and dignity while her opponent barraged her with attacks, something clicked inside me.
I thought of all the times women have had to endure similar assaults. I recalled times I’ve endured them, including at the hands of men I was closest to. That’s when this palpable sense of a force rising inside me started welling up. It was almost physical, as though emanating from every cell of my body. It was a quickening of sorts.
In that moment, I knew something needed to be spoken. Something needed to be claimed. Something needed to be honored. Then came the phrase, “For every woman who has ever been demeaned by a man... ”
That’s when this poem was born.
For Every Woman
For every woman who has ever been demeaned by a man,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who ever has been interrupted, ignored or spoken over,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever been forced to smile nicely as a man insults her,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever been discounted, debased and denied her place in life,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever endured labels that attack her body and diminish her spirit,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever been disdained for her intelligence, assertiveness or innate power,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever censored herself so she doesn’t seem difficult or demanding,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever been shamed into silence or shunned for speaking up,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has been attacked by a man through word, action or innuendo,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever worked twice as hard for less pay than the men around her,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has ever been denied a job for which she is more qualified than the man it was given to,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has borne a child then returned to work after 12 weeks of unpaid leave,
I stand for Hillary
For every woman who works all day, then comes home to the job of caretaker, cook and homemaker.
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has been denigrated by those who would rather see her fail than succeed,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has stood tall and spoken her truth – in spite of it all,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who fought for the rights of other women, and endured the hatred of those threatened by her courage,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who has managed to put another crack in the glass ceiling,
I stand for Hillary.
For every woman who came before us, on whose strong shoulders we stand,
I stand for Hillary.
For every little girl who looks to all of these women ― and finds her place to stand.
I stand for Hillary.
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