WOMEN RISING UP

BY KELLY KAUR

When I was born my father placed me at the familiar altar of patriarchy I ranted and raved. Stomped, screamed, and shouted until reluctantly, my father’s infinite love gave me powerful degrees, one for each hand

When my daughter was born I breathed intense joy into her lips carved words of power onto the canvas of her skin propelled her ahead of lines of dissent deconstructed dialogues of traditional expectations celebrated her strength and her passion whispered in her ear that Barbie was too skinny and no one needed to wear high heels unless they wanted to let her embrace her glorious size, perfect shape, and seamless color showed her the map to female autonomy from lessons learnt in classrooms and on the streets

And she became sassy, feisty, intelligent, vivacious, beautiful, dynamic, spirited, confident, audacious, bold, adventurous, self-sufficient, wise, brave, broadminded, inquisitive, ambitious, savvy, liberated

We all need just one advocate

Rise up for our mothers, sisters, and daughters

Rise up for the oppressed, muted, and nameless

Rise up for invisible women of the world until on her own every single woman in the universe

Rises up for herself