To the angry girl on WhyNot, I’m angry too.

Words by Ella, 23 VIC

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I am angry too.
I am angry that he doesn’t get it.
I am angry that he wants me to stay silent, palatable.
Doesn’t want me to voice my opinions,
Not ones that could cause discomfort.
Women are to be seen, not to be heard.
To be heard only when we’re teasing, flirting, smiling, begging.
On our knees, preferably.

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I am angry too.
I am angry about violence.
I can’t stop talking about it, seeing it, thinking of it.
Because I have lived it- and she has lived it, and they have lived it.
We have all lived it.
We are still living it.

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I am angry too.
He says he gets it, but he doesn’t get it.
Can’t see it in the drunken slurs, catcalls and ‘boys talk’.
Can’t see it in the home of his best-friend who is shouting at his girl.
He says it is normal.
He says he is allowed to express his anger.
But not me.

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I am angry too.
I am angry but he tells me to be cool, be calm.
He really means be quiet.
But how can I be quiet when I am screaming?
I am screaming but still he cannot hear the cries.
All our cries.

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I am angry too.
I am flaming, I am fire.
I am angry because it is one in three women.
Duck, Duck, Goose.
Not you maybe, but someone you know, or someone she knows.

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I am angry and I am tired too.
I am tired of being the cool, calm, chill girl.
The sexy girl.
The sweet, nice, pretty girl.
I am pretty fucking tired.
I’m pretty fucking angry.

To the angry girl on Whynot.
I hear you.
I am angry too.

Illustration by AileenYou can find more of her work on Instagram @aileenetc

Posted in