Not All Men But Enough

This was the week of celebrating women
And instead we're arguing about our right to not fear walking at night
Our right to not be catcalled even if our clothes are ‘tight'
Our right to tell our fears without hearing ‘not all men' even if they're in their direct sight
Not all men, but enough

From a young age we as girls,
Are taught boys are mean to you because they like you
Creating fantasies of rainbows, swirls and fists that need to uncurl.
This surely means that that from a young age
It is taught to boys,
That it's ok to be mean to a girl if he likes her,
As if we simply exist to be their toys
To be used when necessary,
But what happens to this message when you grow from child's play and school?
With this idea subconsciously ingrained into our brains
Are they seen as cruel?
Does it stop just because someone made a rule?

Not all men, but enough.
We are taught:
Don't walk home alone,
Don't get too drunk,
Don't let the charge drain from your phone.
But by teaching us this,
You're telling them to pick someone else
Because there will always be a girl,
Around someone who just ‘couldn't control themselves'
More alone
More drunk, when anything can overwhelm.

Not all men, but enough
Instead of teaching us how to avoid being raped
Teach from a young age the importance of consent,
Because that 5 year old,
Who faces no consequence of torment
For putting his hand on a girl,
Because ‘boys will be boys'
Is growing up putting his hands on girls
Because it's for us to enjoy?

Not all men but enough.
Me and my friend should not be catcalled and beeped at
By grown men
When walking minutes from my flat,
And it doesn't matter what we were wearing
Regardless of our clothes we should not be sexualised and objectified for simply being.

Not all men, but enough,
Because at 11 years old,
I should not have been catcalled
And left feeling controlled,
By having ‘fitty' shouted at me
From lads at school continuously.
Only realising this year,
That's what I was to fear.

Not all men, but enough.
Because wearing leggings and a crop top
At 14 by a quiet road
When the heat was nonstop
Was not an invitation
To be shouted at
By a car full of men, twentysomething
Lacking an education- probably thinking it was nothing

Not all men, but enough
Because as a 16yr old,
The clothes I decided to wear are not an invitation
For you to leer and stare,
Because the fear I feel
Is not a metaphor but real
The jokes I hear
Can not just be another thought to disappear
The statistic on the news
Basically telling us ‘get ready to lose'

Not all men, but enough
Because how do we know which men?
I would rather be overly suspicious and wrong
Than overly ambitious, with statistics right.

‍
Not all men, but enough
Because my experiences can be related by most women,
For I am not just being simply polite
I am keeping my fear hidden
Not all men, but enough
Because my experiences are a given