By Ourselves

Oh
They took and skinned my name
Try to raise the feeling
I saw right through, tried to love them
They threw it in your face, tell you what you're feeling
How could they know?
It's what they read
So when you see her cry, always nothing new
It's how we could all by ourselves

A twenty-six year old woman who learned how to dance until she felt pretty
Feminism wears a throwback jersey, bamboo earrings, and a face beat for the gods
Feminism is Da Brat, Missy Elliot, Lil Kim, and Angie Martinez on the "Not Tonight" track
Feminism says as a woman in my arena you are not my competition
As a woman in my arena your light doesn't make mine any dimmer
Dear Missy
I did not grow up to be you
But I did grow up to be me
And to be in love with who this woman is
To be a woman playing a man's game
And not be apologetic about any of it
If you ask me why representation is important
I will tell you that on the days I don't feel pretty
I hear the sweet voice of Missy singing to me
Pop that, pop that, jiggle that fat
Don't stop, get it till your clothes get wet
I will tell you that right now there are a million black girls
Just waiting to see someone who looks like them