Lyrical Essay
For this assignment we were asked to interview someone who has struggled with an identity-related topic. We then had to write a piece that portrayed their struggles in a lyrical style. I chose to interview one of my friends who has gone through a particularly difficult time growing up as a woman to find out the specific hardships she has faced.
You show up to track practice like any other day.
As you arrive you soon notice that you are the only girl.
The coach announces that today you will be running with the boys and everyone laughs.
A sense of embarrassment rushes through you. Why are they laughing? Gender does not define speed or endurance. You don’t understand why you are treated so different than them.
As soon as you start your training everyone goes silent when they realize you’re just as fast as they are.
Since you’ve always been interested in science, you decide to enter a science fair junior year. After countless months of hard work and late nights you finally finish your elaborate project being more proud than ever.
You excitedly bring your project to present and two girls come up to you asking if you’re watching the project for your boyfriend. You explain to them that it is your project and they are astonished.
Why is this so out of the ordinary?
Ever since you can remember you’ve been compared to others. No matter what you are doing, something has always been holding you back. But that something is unable to be changed. It is who you are. And you are okay with that.