Stand Up and Fight With Me

I am a mother.

I am a daughter.

I am a sister.

I am a friend.

I am a great listener.

I am a terrible singer.

I am an animal lover.

I am an awful dancer.

I am a woman with a bright future and an interesting past.

I work.

I shop.

I pay taxes.

I drive.

I vote.

I respect my elders.

I love.

I am in love.

In a world of disposable spouses and conditional love I fight, everyday, for what I feel.

I fight fear.

I fight prejudice.

I fight injustice.

I fight hatred.

I fight ignorance.

I fight because I have to.

I will continue to fight.

I will fight for who I am and who I love.

A love worth fighting for is never wrong.

Your third wife may not believe that, but I do.

While you're trading up, I'm holding on.

I will not bow out gracefully.

I will not admit defeat.

I am the girl next door.

I am the woman behind the counter.

I am the woman on the street or in the elevator.

If we met, you might say "What a sweet young woman."

If I didn't tell you, you'd never know.

I am a lesbian.

I have a name and a face and a life.

I have hopes and dreams and plans.

I have a love you cannot even fathom.

You have taken away my rights by you will not damage my spirit.

You will see me.

You will know me.

You will learn from me.

You will respect my strength.

You will envy my commitment.

You will not think I am sweet again.

We're not done here, people. The worst thing we can do now is give up. Stay strong. Stand up and fight with me.