I was taught from a young age that women were meant to be quiet and pleasant, never loud or angry. When I reached college, I encountered men who took advantage of that mindset and of my naivety. I soon found other women who shared those experiences and felt a similar sense of frustration towards the narrative expected of women.

I am a middle school art teacher and a meditation/mindfulness practitioner. Before college, I had only taken an art class in elementary school. I doodled the comics (mostly Garfield), did NOT draw all the time, and did not have an encouraging family to support my art curiosity. Somehow, I still went for it.... art school made sure to let me know how far behind in knowledge I was...especially during critique.

This piece is titled “Fear of Him”. It is about a time in my life when I kept quite about a series of situations in fear of what would happen if I spoke up. It is too common women are belittled by boys because boys think they can do anything they want. I think it is important to note that women are so much stronger than what society views us as.