I am tired

Tired of waking up at 6 AM to go to a white-washed prison where

I am taught

Not to learn

But to pass a test

Tired of hearing my dad loudly groan, "Oh really?!" when he sees a homosexual

yet still considers himself a loving child of God

Tired of hearing the kids at my school using racial slurs to greet their friends

slurs for races they are not

but don't worry

it's not racist

because they never owned a slave

and would never call an African American that word

Tired of explaining to the boys in my English class that I am no less than them

just because I am a girl

My emotions are no less valid because I have a period sometimes

Tired of arguing that my friend is not a bitch because she told you to stop touching her there

Tired of watching my aunt throw money at Impeach Obama organizations

yet refusing to help the homeless on the streetcorners because

"What if they use it for drugs?"

Tired of worrying about my future

One wrong choice and I'm screwed for life

I thought kids weren't responsible to make their own decisions

Tired of watching videos where boys tell girls how to act and what to look like

Tired of girls believing them

Tired of panicking

when I'm left alone

or uncomfortable

or triggered

Tired of the media telling me that I need to be

thin

and beautiful

and charming

and different

Tired of my best friend crying on the bus because her dad abuses her

not physically

but emotionally

and if you try to say that's nowhere near as bad

I dare you to look her in the eyes

Tired of hearing rumors

that teenagers at my school

are getting kicked out of their houses

by their parents

I am tired of the lack of love and understanding in the world

I am exhausted.