Transgender

sometimes an opinion is more than youve heard 

a collection of beliefs, bias, and words

words have a power, even if you don't give it

that's why people call you a bigot

"emotions are opinions, chemicals, just that"

I'm sorry to tell you, emotion is fact

people are threatened, harassed and murdered

disrespected and abused, just for a murmur 

to say that you're wrong regardless of rights 

because when lives are on the line, it isn't right

I know you feel you're on some grand precipice,

but what about the rest of us?

when emotions get shattered and bodies are battered

it becomes more than an opinion

murder and rape,  but you say that's not hate, and it makes me so irate! 

but more than anything? it makes me feel like nothing.

it's not about putting "minorities" at war

it's about a war on us, with a rising body count by our hands, or yours

my ammunition is annomination,

ammunition for a gun you care more about my right to own, than what I feel

because when your identity is just a punchline, everyone is laughing at you

not with you

because like a good joke?  it never gets old, it need gets old it never gets old it never.... 

gets old.

it leaves me breathless

and I'd hate to regret this

but when im told it's your right to have an opinion, 

I wonder what right I have to feel

I'm told I shouldn't take it personally, to hold my tongue because it's just free speech.

because you have the right to voice, 

but not to be criticized

now maybe it's because I've changed, 

but either way I feel estranged. 

maybe it's because you feel you lost a sister, because I know I do

you fight for the right to say and do

but what does it matter, if you can't be you

I don't mean to deny your feelings, but mine are always invalidated 

and it might just be consolidated 

if i learn to take the slander

all I recieve is enmity, but I'm not looking to make enemies 

only to make you understand

I'm not a woman, and I don't think I'm a man

I'm sick of being what you want

be it a joke, victim, or trifle

maybe one day, I'll be on the end of a rifle 

of people who speak, just like you do to me

sometimes I don't think it'll be that bad

and to me that's what's sad

because your ignorance supersedes and for of empathy, and my pleas for sympathy are seen as greed

and I'm looked down on in pity, like there's something wrong with me

but I'm not green, maybe more blue 

because of all the people to abhor what I am

I didn't think it'd be someone I adore

maybe on my part it's some sort of delusion 

people to think I'm like this out of confusion 

true, i cant discern for what I yearn 

but i wish it was sooner that I learned

to be disillusioned 

because it hurts especially hard when instead of being asked why am in pain

I'm told I shouldn't feel at all

and that's when I realized that you just done care at all

I feel everytime I speak I should be rehearsing 

because everything I say just keeps reversing

you always say speech is a right

but all it does is fill me with fright

what I have to say doesn't matter

and that's a matter of fact

Author's Note

Oct 30, 2015

spoken word
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DM_s2TSeGs