"STUPID OR PARANOID?"

Dear Society,

I hate how you make girls like me

feel stupid for believing so easily

everytime some guy shows an interest in me

Get a grip

It doesn’t matter anyway

I can still lose

with what I choose

If I accept him and he hurts me,

you’ll call me stupid

You’re being a pain

when you tell me to use my brain

(Well, I do!)

Then you’re being condescending

with an advice so degrading:

“Learn your lesson.

Next time, don’t get too confident.”

Dear Society,

What’s with your change of view?

This doesn’t sound like the previous you

Now you call women like me paranoid

for closing doors and building walls

after you’ve convinced me

that men are all preying monsters

Now you want me to give them a chance

at least one, for every dance

but I get all clumsy with fear and worry

What if this one also wants to hurt me?

“Oh, but you can’t be alone,”

you casually tell me.

“Everybody needs someone.”

Dear Society,

What the hell do you want from me?

To believe in love again?

Well, I did.

Look what happened.

In your eyes, it’s the same damn thing.

Either I’m stupid or paranoid,

even when I’m desperately trying

to stay level-headed,

even when you keep letting them all

get away with it.

Society,

You no longer get to choose for me.

I do that when I’m ready.

Think whatever you like.

I’m done with your spite.

R.