Requirements of Womanhood
A stylish purse for your sanitary items. The front may read something gruesome, like ‘shark bait’ or ‘vampire teabags’, so that you can prove you are a feminist. Bleeding is one requirement of womanhood; if you are a woman, you will bleed. Even your transgender sisters are expected to go under the knife.
The new Taylor Swift album. She is such an icon. She must be bisexual.
A rape whistle, just in case. But you live in a nice neighbourhood. But you carry your keys between your fists. But you forgave Melanie Martinez so easily, so simply. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. Better have your parents drive you just in case.
A copy of Dante’s Inferno or Catcher in the Rye. It means nothing to you. The praise is just enough.
A pocket mirror, so you can check your flesh routinely for any abnormalities. Abnormalities may include: discolouration, imperfection, signs of bruising still showing under all that makeup. Anything other than your ivory, stone balcony, porcelain white skin. Juliet, vampirism, pale woman beneath moonlight. You turn your cheek just so and remember to smile.
A vial of arsenic, rattling loose. This one is optional.
A clam shell. A coin purse. A split open pomegranate staining the tips of your dainty fingers. Whatever - as long as the symbolism is there, and you feel powerful. Don’t forget to pay the nanny.
A graphic T-Shirt you bought on Amazon: it reads All Men are Trash. You’ll show your boyfriend later, and he’ll think that it’s charming. As long as you remind him gently that he is the exception.
Later you’ll read some scathing Twitter thread. Another murder. Seventeen incarcerations. Thirty-four disappearances. All while you were out to brunch. The guilt will be immense, consuming, but try not to worry so much. You will soothe yourself: you are the exception, too.
The new Taylor Swift album. She is such an icon. She must be bisexual.
A rape whistle, just in case. But you live in a nice neighbourhood. But you carry your keys between your fists. But you forgave Melanie Martinez so easily, so simply. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. Better have your parents drive you just in case.
A copy of Dante’s Inferno or Catcher in the Rye. It means nothing to you. The praise is just enough.
A pocket mirror, so you can check your flesh routinely for any abnormalities. Abnormalities may include: discolouration, imperfection, signs of bruising still showing under all that makeup. Anything other than your ivory, stone balcony, porcelain white skin. Juliet, vampirism, pale woman beneath moonlight. You turn your cheek just so and remember to smile.
A vial of arsenic, rattling loose. This one is optional.
A clam shell. A coin purse. A split open pomegranate staining the tips of your dainty fingers. Whatever - as long as the symbolism is there, and you feel powerful. Don’t forget to pay the nanny.
A graphic T-Shirt you bought on Amazon: it reads All Men are Trash. You’ll show your boyfriend later, and he’ll think that it’s charming. As long as you remind him gently that he is the exception.
Later you’ll read some scathing Twitter thread. Another murder. Seventeen incarcerations. Thirty-four disappearances. All while you were out to brunch. The guilt will be immense, consuming, but try not to worry so much. You will soothe yourself: you are the exception, too.
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