Quiet, look pretty.
Nobody likes a girl that talks back.
Don't talk to me like that!
And so on…

Words I heard over and over again,
growing up.

I used to wonder:
Why I can not be pretty and
have my own voice and ideas?

So, I decided to be ugly.

I didn’t want to be pretty and quiet.

I talked back to everyone,
my parents, my teachers,
and family.

I got into big trouble because,
who wanted to be silenced?

How can your beauty be
compared with having no voice?

I decided I wanted to be ugly.
I didn't care about my hair,
my face, my nails.

I wanted to be ugly
and scream.

I wanted to be ugly
and express myself.

I talked loud.

I wanted everyone to listen.