Because, frankly, I’m getting really tired of not saying this out loud.

To me, being a woman is: Me too. Me too when I was fourteen. But I didn’t know and I just kept dating him. Is years later contemplating abortion and then eventually feeding my child from my breast and being proud. Is holding a grudge about my stretch marks. Is marching with women and cheering for their hairy armpits! (Is also always shaving my armpits). Is really enjoying being femme and spending money on my hair. Is enjoying being chased by masculine energy: a man taking the lead, or picking me up, or thinking he is smarter than I am or even spanking me. Is not aligning as straight, or bi, or lesbian, because frankly it changes every other year. And I hate absolutes. Is being furious I don’t get paid equally. Is being called a slut for being confident with my body. Is calling myself a slut and being confident with my body. Is embracing words like bitch. and cunt. and slut and choosing to give them their own happy energy like, say, dick. or cock. or stud. Is never saying “I don’t have female friends” because I do, and I love them. Is being a mother, but not wanting to be defined as “mother.” Is being sexy, but not wanting to be defined as sexy. Is living in a world where feminism is a buzz word, a dirty word, a word that’s losing meaning.

Anyway, friends. That’s the short list. It changes from year to year, I think. But I also think, no matter what gender or sexuality you are, you should step back and remember, you are a whole person. And all this shit is fluid. Let it swash and pour and leak and fill. Water takes the form of anything you pour it into.