#FierceWomenOfOklaEd: Just Because I’m A Strong Woman

Just Because I'm A Strong Woman

Note: I wrote this poem after teaching fellow at Oklahoma Writing Project shared her “Just Because” poem activity. Our group pre-wrote “Just Because I’m a teacher,” but I had to think about all the stereotypes many of us as teachers face simply because we’re women. So I started this poem. At first, I only had five stanzas, so I shared the poem with my writer’s group, and asked them for their experiences with female stereotypes. They made several suggestions based on their experiences, and I incorporated them into my poem. 

Just Because I’m A Strong Woman
By Michelle Waters

Just because I’m a woman who knows what I want
Doesn’t mean I think less of you.
It means I expect you to step up.

Just because I’m a woman who knows what to do
Doesn’t mean I’m bossy.
It means I’m a good leader.

Just because I’m a woman who holds back my tears
Doesn’t mean ice runs in my veins.
It means I’m fighting a battle you will never see.

Just because I’m a woman who listens
Doesn’t mean I’m weak or unable to lead.
It just means building community is more important than building me.

Just because I’m a woman who loves her career
Doesn’t mean I don’t care about my family.
It means I’m a person created with a purpose that my kids will see.

Just because I’m a woman who is independent
Doesn’t mean I hate men.
It just means I need someone willing to be vulnerable.

Just because I am a woman without children
Doesn’t mean I’m unwomanly or useless.
It just means I have room in my heart for the motherless.

Just because I’m a woman who is strong
Doesn’t mean I don’t want you to hold the door.
It just means I need someone to be strong enough to hold my heart.

Just because I’m a woman who is quiet
Doesn’t mean I’m not powerful.
It means I’m choosing my words wisely.

About the author 

Michelle Boyd Waters, M.Ed.

Michelle taught secondary ELA in public schools for 10 years. She served as an award-winning journalist before transitioning into education and is now Assistant Director of the OU Writing Center and a teacher consultant for the Oklahoma Writing Project. Michelle co-edited the Oklahoma English Journal for five years. She is a PhD candidate in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum at the University of Oklahoma. She started reThink ELA LLC as a teacher blog in 2012.

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