Bad Feminist – Christine E. Ray

when I only kissed girls
I was accused of being a man-hater
when I could braid the hair under my arms
broke disposable razors on my legs
I was called earthy-crunchy
when I decided to major in women studies
I became a bra burner
when I interrupted men
demanded my turn
I was a bitch
when I cared about gay men
contracting HIV
and dying of AIDS
I was told I had been co-opted
when I didn’t laugh at
sexist/homophobic/racist/antisemitic jokes
they called me a killjoy
when I insisted on being inter-sectional
I was labeled a radical
when I fell in love with a man
I was marked a traitor
when I married him and had children
I was a sellout
when I insisted that we did not live
in a post-feminist world
I was called a dinosaur
when I started to speak truth about
rape, sexual abuse, and harassment
I was told I was playing the victim card
when I turned 50
I was considered obsolete
I am not made
for standing on pedestals
you will not find me
cast in bronze as
an exemplar of feminist
wisdom and ideology
I will be in the wings
tripping over my soapboxes
dented megaphone
in my hand