'Hostile Work Environment' by Ravyn LaRue

In my women’s studies class today
we delved into the idea
of a hostile work environment
which I figure counts for schools too
and it made me feel far less alone
and that I wasn’t just dumb and paranoid
because when you hear
horrible things directed towards
those who are the things you are
no matter how many times people may say
she wasn’t referring to you
or
oh, but you’re different than all the other “those people”s
no matter what
and how much you try to make yourself feel safe
if they’d do that to them
and believe that about them
and speak that way about them
there is no membrane of decency stopping them
from acting that exact same way
towards you
and people file lawsuits against this sort of thing
so even though it may feel like an overreaction
my leaving
though cowardly
was a reasonable human response
but I suppose I’m only trying to justify things
to myself
and this wide vast universe
that I feel as though I’ve run away from