Amid the empowering and awe-inspiring speeches from the second Women's March in New York City over the weekend, there was one woman's words in particular which have struck a chord with people around the world.
In a visceral and heart-wrenching monologue, 23-year-old singer Halsey took to the stage to recite a poem titled 'Story of Mine', in which she takes listeners on a journey through several poignant moments in her life.
Before the speech, the American star told the crowd she wasn't able to give a speech unless there was rhyme structure to it and let's just say, she couldn't have articulated her message better.
The story begins in 2009, when she describes the time she supported her best friend, identified as Sam, who was raped, before detailing the mental health advocate's own experiences with sexual abuse by a neighbour and ex-boyfriend.
Mentioning several high-profile stars who have come forward with their personal stories of sexual abuse and assault, including the likes of Lady Gaga, Rosario Dawson and Simone Biles, the singer referenced the inspiring women behind the #MeToo movement.
She finished her speech with a call to action for society to stand together in solidarity to ensure that sexual misconduct, oppression, silencing of women and abuse is eradicated.
Thousands of fans - including Reese Witherspoon, Simon Biles and Gina Rodriguez - across the world have since taken to social media to congratulate the star on delivering such a powerful story.
Here's Halsey's poem in full:
It's 2009 and I'm 14 and I'm crying / Not really sure where I am but I'm holding the hand of my best friend Sam / In the waiting room of a Planned Parenthood / The air is sterile and clean, and the walls are that not grey, but green / And the lights are so bright they could burn a whole through the seam of my jeans / My phone is buzzing in the pocket / My mom is asking me if I remembered my keys 'cause she's closing the door and she needs to lock it / But I can't tell my mom where I've gone / I can't tell anyone at all / You see, my best friend Sam was raped by a man that we knew 'cause he worked in the after-school program / And he held her down with her textbook beside her / And he covered her mouth and he came inside her / So now I'm with Sam, at the place with a plan, waiting for the results of a medical exam / And she's praying she doesn't need an abortion, she couldn't afford it / And her parents would, like, totally kill her
It's 2002 and my family just moved and the only people I know are my mom's friends, too, and her son / He's got a case of Matchbox cars and he says that he'll teach me to play the guitar if I just keep quiet / And the stairwell beside apartment 1245 will haunt me in my sleep for as long as I am alive / And I'm too young to know why it aches in my thighs, but I must lie, I must lie
It's 2012 and I'm dating a guy and I sleep in his bed and I just learned how to drive / And he's older than me and he drinks whiskey neat and he's paying for everything / This adult thing is not cheap / We've been fighting a lot, almost 10 times a week / And he wants to have sex, and I just want to sleep / He says I can't say no to him / This much I owe to him / He buys my dinner, so I have to blow him / He's taken to forcing me down on my knees / And I'm confused 'cause he's hurting me while he says please / And he's only a man, and these things he just needs / He's my boyfriend, so why am I filled with unease?
It's 2017 and I live like a queen / And I've followed damn near every one of my dreams / I'm invincible and I'm so fucking naive / I believe I'm protected 'cause I live on a screen / Nobody would dare act that way around me / I've earned my protection, eternally clean / Until a man that I trust gets his hands in my pants / But I don't want none of that, I just wanted to dance / And I wake up the next morning like I'm in a trance and there's blood / Is that my blood? / Hold on a minute
You see I've worked every day since I was 18 / I've toured everywhere from Japan to Mar-a-Lago / I even went on stage that night in Chicago when I was having a miscarriage / I mean, I pied the piper, I put on a diaper / And sang out my spleen to a room full of teens / What do you mean this happened to me? / You can't put your hands on me / You don't know what my body has been through / I'm supposed to be safe now / I earned it
It's 2018 and I've realized nobody is safe long as she is alive / And every friend that I know has a story like mine / And the world tells me we should take it as a compliment / But then heroes like Ashley and Simone and Gabby, McKayla and Gaga, Rosario, Aly / Remind me this is the beginning, it is not the finale / And that's why we're here /And that's why we rally / It's Olympians and a medical resident and not one fucking word from the man who is President / It's about closed doors and secrets and legs and stilletos from the Hollywood hills to the projects in ghettos / When babies are ripped from the arms of teen mothers and child brides cry globally under the covers / Who don't have a voice on the magazine covers / They tell us take cover
But we are not free until all of us are free / So love your neighbour, please treat her kindly / Ask her story and then shut up and listen / Black, Asian, poor, wealthy, trans, cis, Muslim, Christian / Listen, listen and then yell at the top of your lungs / Be a voice for all those who have prisoner tongues / For the people who had to grow up way too young / There is work to be done / There are songs to be sung / Lord knows there's a war to be won.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
