Break-Away

Illustration by Camila Rosa
A poem that explores gender norms and how people can break-away from these

reak- Away

Let's break away
From what others say.
Let's break away
Day by day.
For this may
Be the only way…

To remove ourselves from this mould
Shaped by others. Made for us all
To be the same.
But we can hear this call
Our call, to change things about.
In a world where we're forced to be similar
But born to stand out.

Let's go now
To start a row.
Let's go now
To allow
Ourselves to figure out how,
To start changing things now.

There's more to a woman
Than how she may dress.
There's more to a woman
Than looks. Talents they suppress
After being told "no."
That it doesn't fit the role
They are supposedly meant to show.

Strongminded, self-sufficient,
Requirements they aren't meant to meet.
For your gender roles say
Women need a man to feel complete.
Don't underestimate a woman's ability
For we are all equal,
And we can be anything that we want to be.

Let us be
Who we are; free.
Let us be
Unique, we plea.
And not who you expect to see.
Finally being who we choose to be.

There's more to a man
Than the sports he should play.
There's more to a man
Than work, the bills he should pay
And for them to always be strong,
Or else they wouldn’t fit the role,
Weakness, in men, considered wrong.

Rough, tough and torn,
Traits they should always hold.
For your gender roles represent
Men as emotionless, cold.
But don't underestimate a man's ability
For we are all equal,
And we can be anything we want to be.

Let us fight
For what is right.
Let us fight,
Our end goal in sight
We need to take flight
And fearlessly fight.

For gender doesn't define who we are,
For gender roles date back so far,
These expectations we need to break,
For they create an extremely fake
And unrealistic view on how people need to act,
Walk, talk, speak, feel, live. Let's react
For it's our time to change,
Challenge these gender stereotypes.

Let's break away
And start now,
To change the way
Of wrong and right.
We need to break away​.

- Written by Jo

Jo enjoys reading and poetry. They enjoy writing poetry around the subject of LGBTQ+ and mental health, as well as working with their school's equality forum to help make a positive impact and difference. You can find them on Instagram - @magic.marvolo and on Facebook - Jodie Fitzpatrick.