Collette Orji - ***Men always Felt Intimidated By me while growing Up, Especially because I was ONLY a Woman***

Men always felt too intimidated by me while growing up. Even most of my female friends and classmates did. They never failed to REMIND me that I am a woman. It felt strange because every day I saw my private parts I knew that I was a woman yet they kept reminding me.

 I knew if I was a boy, a male- they would have admired me and praised me with Kingship names. My mother especially fought my firm stance to situations and punished me severely because to her it was stubbornness and that stubbornness had to go away, guess what? It didn't. Rather, I developed myself more.

When I returned to Nigeria at 18, Oh! I was introduced to the word marriage. I mean, that's the only discussion every Igbo girl I came across had on their lips. Marriage, Marriage, marriage.

And I'm thankful for my brothers today because they fought off my parents and told me Girl - There's so much about life in front of you.

Anyway, remember I'm stubborn so I gave these men my terms and conditions and most of them kept running away. They couldn't stand my firm prowess and my ideologies to basic standard life.

Men were intimidated, my relationships couldn't last, ( oh! I had so many). I said No to Slavery and gender inequality. Women couldn't understand why the most beautiful and sexiest Coco was not getting herself a husband. They decided I must be 'Mami water ' and started bringing me prayers quotes & referring me to Pastors. (Story for another day)

My mum never knew I could marry any man! My dad thought I had not learn how a proper wife was supposed to be submissive and serve her husband enough.

I fought hard! My brothers also fought hard with me. I tried and tried and kept trying. But I did something more. I developed myself. Man or no man, I knew I'm unstoppable. It's respect and gender equality for me or NO DEAL.

I have worked too hard and fought too many battles to finally stand here, I am the best wife any human being can ever pray and fast for. I am proud, don't remind me I know that already. I will thrive in any situation because I know how to use my two hands and two feet and work and be a human being and good citizen in any nation.

#TomorethanICanBe✌🏽

Collette Orji, © 2017❤️