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dressed for success

is this how I want to spend my twenties?

alone at a desk

in a cubicle

isolated

depressed

and dressed in business casual, they said

“don’t dress for the position you’re in, dress for the position you want to be in”

is that supposed to motivate me?

the position I want to be in is

facedown in my bed

screaming into my pillow

not in business casual

because then my mascara would run


instead, I’m expected to be composed

with my dress clothes pressed,

dressed to impress and

good posture at my desk

for posterity

this is a corporation, after all.


and pretend I don’t know that my hiring manager

made a slut-shaming comment

to a former employee

about the clothes I was wearing.

I didn’t know dress pants and a blouse could be so provocative.


and pretend I don’t know that my product manager

has a history of harassing female interns

“I just like talking to you and am not sober”

asking for nudes and explaining his research-

“I’ve been exploring foot fetishes lately and would be interested in anything you know about them, or feet pics.”

and what happens in the scif…

later, while on paternity leave, he reaches out to ask

“what’s going on in your life, boo?”

I mention being elected president of my sorority

“I love a woman with authority.”



they said,

“don’t dress for the position you’re in, dress for the position you want to be in”

what position do they want me to be in?




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