i want to be seen

i am no longer ashamed of having this body.

for it is my home, and i am at peace.

let us teach boys that girls are more than their bodies.

let us teach girls that they do not have to hide to be respected.

how sad it is to not be able to live freely in our own skin.

censoring our bodies, words, and thoughts.

About Emmianne Shioda-Jagosz

Hello, my name is Emmianne. I am half Japanese and half Polish-American. I came to Japan about two and a half years ago so I could reconnect with my Japanese heritage. Unfortunately, living in Japan has been a lot more difficult than I thought. I’m trying to heal through my words.

Instagram: @emmiannej

Edited by Emiru Okada

Graphic by Maya Kubota