Just Say Nothing By Anonymous

Everyone says “Stand up for your rights.”

“Don’t let other people have any say in your life.”

But when I try that

Everyone just stares at me, thinking “This isn’t a big deal.”

“Whats wrong with you?”

“If you don’t like it, ignore it.”

When I couldn’t ignore it

People said that the problem was all in my head

So even though I knew what was wrong 

And knew the words to say…

I stayed silent.

When someone told my friend that he was hurting her 

For just existing as he is

I told her that she was hurting him 

Because existing in a minority (that she didn’t know I was in)

Doesn’t hurt anyone, much less should be declared a sin.

My friend looked happy for a second 

But then shut his mouth when that awful girl said

“It wasn’t like I was hurting anyone.”

“My statement was true.”

“If you don’t like that, you can just shut your mouth, too.”

So I stopped speaking my truth.

When I saw people hurting like my friend did back then

I didn’t stop it.

Didn’t even try to step in.

And when people called me a f** and a r*****

I stayed silent 

And let the hate slip in.

The worst part wasn’t even random people saying these things

It was my family

My friends 

Reaffirming this thought.

All of this baked into my skin,

Made me hate myself even more from within.

I wanted to end it 

Leave this place that put hate over everything…

But I couldn’t.

Because I remembered my friend’s small amount of joy

When I stepped in.