In America

In America,
  We are taught that freedom does NOT come free.
 Women are taught to walk around with pockets full of weapons,
because someone will try to assault us.
    We are taught that it was all our fault,
because we "asked for it."  
because we "were dressed for it."
   Women are taught that virginity is something you give away
because it's not worth preserving for the right man.
  We are taught that asking for help
means we are weak.
    Women can be raped,
beaten,
and broken.
But the boy walks free.
   They say that he didn’t know better at just 16.
But he knew better than to touch her,
Than to misplace her "no"
   For show my friends the video.
He gets to walk free,
because she did have a few drinks.
   Because in America,
one drink means drunk.
And drunk means consent.
   She did not consent,
yet the jury says not guilty.    
     In America,  
Women are less than men.
   We are objects to be checked out against our will.
We cannot walk alone at night,
  without fear in the back of our minds.
Because alone means vulnerable.
Because dark streets  and breasts,
means You can't see me before I touch you.
   Women are taught that our bodies are not temples to worship,
but rather the crumbs of left overs,
there for whoever decides to take them.
  We are taught that we have to hide in order to feel safe.
That our clothes must be two sizes too big,
or the man across the isle in walmart,
  will take our shorts for an invitation.
   That he will take our v-neck shirt as a project,
something he plans to mold his hands against,
no matter what our trembling voice says.  
In America,
no does not mean no.
    It means,
as long as I'm not caught.
It means,
  I'll get off with a slap on the wrist,
because you asked for it.
   Because your eyes said yes,
   even when your mouth said no.
  In America,
freedom does not come free.
And if you're a woman,
no freedom will even come.