By Kayla Hutchinson

As a black woman, I am born with everything set against me. Whether the world realizes it or not, I will have to spend my entire life trying to break through barriers that are never meant to be broken by someone like me.

I am only twenty one years old and I have to tell you that I am already tired.

I am tired of being condemned for trying to reach the same goals as my peers of all races and both genders when I automatically have way more obstacles placed in front of me.

I am tired of being called angry or unapproachable for not constantly smiling when I am criticized regardless of if I’m smiling or not.

I am tired of having other races of women mimic everything unique to me and get praised for it while I still get criticized by my own race.

I am tired of having to convince my black sisters to be my sisters.

I am tired of being pressured to be weak by men when life’s challenges have inevitably led me to become the strong woman I am.

I am tired of having to apologize to men, especially black men, for their insecurities that cause them to be intimidated by me.

I am tired of trying to embrace all aspects of me and feel beautiful only to constantly be shot down by my own black brothers.

I am tired of being labeled an angry black woman when no one takes the time to ask what is wrong.

I am tired of  being criticized for expressing myself by people that will never understand what I am expressing because they have never walked in my shoes.

I am tired of being expected to be everyone’s superwoman.

I can go on and on about all the things I am tired of, but at the end of the day, these things will not change as fast as they should. In the meantime, cut me some slack and stop blaming me from becoming what society has forced me to be.