President Obama
has written an essay
for Glamour magazine
explaining why he identifies
as a feminist.
He expresses gratitude
that his tenure as president
shortens his commute to "45 seconds"
and thus lets him spend
more time with his daughters.
He says that the experience of fatherhood
has allowed him to be
a direct witness
to the "enormous pressure girls are under
to look and behave
and even think a certain way"
even as they become successful
noting the particular challenges
faced by women of color
including his wife Michelle.
He concludes the essay
with the reminder
that "It's never been just about the Benjamins.
It's about the Tubmans too"
and that
"when everybody is equal
we are all more free."
Meanwhile Donald Trump
is on the sidelines
confident in his knowledge
that the key to solving sexual harassment
in the workplace
is for women to change jobs.
This poem © 2016 Emily Cooper.
