A Woman In A Man's World Poem by Samantha Schutt

Mother and homemaker -
The only places we could find fulfillment.
Men are not asked how they balance home and work life, as women are -
Do you know why?
It's because - they don't.

The ego of a man -
Trapped inside the body of a woman -
Is nothing to apologize for or ignore.

Yes, it's true -
I am stubborn, demanding, and self-sufficient.
These qualities began to show themselves as I got older -
To which I was told, "Oh honey, men don't find that attractive in a woman."

Society wants to hold us captive - pushed back into the kitchen,
Oppression is tradition -
But my position is in the board room.
Women apologize for prioritizing work over family -
The way that men do.
For putting themselves first, like men.
And for being successful, like men.

We are here and ready to break the glass ceiling -
With the expectation that you listen while we're speaking -
Not just right now, but in every meeting.

Women have an obligation to make sacrifices -
A dedication to their household over occupation -
Built on generations of expectations that women live to serve men.

Women need to justify their achievements more than men do -
Mistreatment in the workplace should lead to impeachment -
Instead, complaints get stashed away in a dusty file cabinet -
Slid under the rug like a mess you want to keep hidden.

Being a woman in a man's world is exhausting -
We're overworked and underpaid,
Tired of being told what a woman is and should be.
This - is what a feminist looks like.