"Just Because..." Student Poems about Shattering Stereotypes and Embracing our True Selves (*New Poem Added!)

Hello World Pulse!

The beautiful young women in my Global Girls Group in a High School in Portland, Maine recently completed a poetry exercise. Here they share their voices in poetic form to give us insight into who they truly are, and remind us how dangerous labels can be. See the pictures below to read their hand-written versions of these poems.

JUST BECAUSE by Belyse:

Just because I am calm
Doesn't mean I don't have an opinion
Doesn't mean I don't know my rights
Doesn't mean I am going to submit myself to others
I am peaceful

Just because I am single
Doesn't mean I don't love
Doesn't mean I am a prostitute
Doesn't mean I am hopeless
I am happy

Just because I am talkative
Doesn't mean I am a liar
Doesn't mean I gossip
Doesn't mean I am not respectful
I am proud of myself

Just because I am a woman
Doesn't mean I don't deserve respect
Doesn't mean I am fragile
Doesn't mean I am emotional
I am strong

JUST BECAUSE by Ciham:

Just because I am African-American
Doesn't mean I am poor
Doesn't mean I am uneducated
I am friendly and open to all

Just because I am a Muslim girl
Doesn't mean I am oppressed
Doesn't mean I am forced to do anything
Doesn't mean I am the daughter of a terrorist
I am liberated

Just because I am young
Doesn't mean I'm not mature
Doesn't mean I'm dumb
Doesn't mean I can't make rational decisions
I am an individual

JUST BECAUSE by Hayat:

Just because I am:
MUSLIM
Doesn't mean I hate America
Doesn't mean I am a terrorist
Doesn't mean I'm not a feminist
QUIET
Doesn't mean my voice won't be heard
Doesn't mean I'm not a dreamer
Doesn't mean I can't change the world
I am a silent Muslim-American Leader

JUST BECAUSE by Claudia:

Just because I am a teenage girl
Doesn't mean I hate school
Doesn't mean I dress inappropriately to get boys attention
Doesn't mean I stay all night on social media
I am different

Just because I am quiet
Doesn't mean I don't have a voice
Doesn't mean I don't see what you're doing
Doesn't mean I am naive
I am strong

Just because I smile
Doesn't mean I am happy
Doesn't mean I don't cry
Doesn't mean I don't get sad
I am human

JUST BECAUSE by Edna:

Just because I am a feminist
Doesn't mean I am stern
Doesn't mean I hate men
Doesn't mean I see them as 'beneath me'
I am a fighter for gender equality
From both perspectives