Civil Rights
are
Human Rights

I was 5 1/2 years old

when I learned 

the most important rule 

regarding women’s rights, 

which are civil rights. 

 

My mother had five miscarriages, 

maybe a still birth,

before I was born; 

I was born a deeply wanted baby. 

 

A neighbor was rumored 

to have just had a baby, 

and I ran to my mom 

to ask if I could go see 

if a new baby was born. 

 

My mother told me 

I always ask 

how the mother is first, 

because it’s more important 

than even the baby, 

because not all babies survive, 

and are always born.  

 

I felt very loved, 

and

also agreed. 

 

I felt my mom was 

more important than me, 

and it didn’t change 

me being important, 

but I had older siblings, 

and they would be in trouble 

without a mom, 

just like I would. 

 

I also talked a lot 

to my first friend ever, 

Brent, 

about him being told 

he was going to die, 

because he had leukemia, 

and he said 

I was the only person 

who would talk to him 

about what’s a long life, 

and how I felt about dying 

or being alive, 

because I didn’t want 

to survive anyone

I loved, 

and feel that loss. 

 

I knew his parents

felt 

he was

more important 

than them, 

but I became 

his little brother’s friend 

because we both 

missed and loved Brent. 

 

Bryan very much 

needed his parents, 

and I will explain 

what Brent and I

talked about 

in a blog, 

but, 

for me, 

the life,

autonomy and freedom 

of all girls and women 

to do

and become anything 

men and boys

get to do

or become,

is the most

important right 

threatened, 

in too many places

in the world, 

including

the United States. 

 

I will always stand up 

for women’s

and girls’ rights, 

even

when I disagree 

with what

they think or do, 

by recognizing

all humans 

are equally important, 

and deserve

not to be treated 

as subordinate

to anyone else, 

or have their rights

taken from them, 

regardless

of history,

tradition 

or personal beliefs. 

 

A person

is not free 

if they

don’t control

their body or labor 

or are treated

unequal 

due to their gender

or identity,

or race, 

including

how they define 

and

identify themselves. 

 

Equality doesn’t truly exist otherwise.