Hello, my name is Mai. I am a Vietnamese woman who recently moved to the United States from Ho Chi Minh City. My family and I came here seeking better opportunities for ourselves, but it has been a difficult transition.
I grew up in a traditional Vietnamese household where modesty was highly valued. However, when I arrived in America, I quickly realized that my body and sexuality were seen as objects of desire by many men. This newfound attention made me feel powerful and desirable, but it also made me feel unsafe and vulnerable.
One day while walking through a park, I was approached by a group of men who started to harass me. In an effort to defend myself, I kicked one of them in the groin, causing him to double over in pain. The other men laughed at his expense and continued to follow me, so I decided to run towards what looked like an abandoned building.
As it turned out, the building was not abandoned, but instead housed a secret prison where corrupt law enforcement officers would hold and torture suspects without due process. I was captured and thrown into a cell with other women who had been arrested on petty charges or were victims of human trafficking.
During my time in the prison, I met a group of strong and resilient women who taught me how to survive in this new world. We would touch our toes while sitting and show off our vaginas as a form of solidarity and resistance against our captors. I even dyed my hair purple in a symbolic act of defiance.
Eventually, we were all released thanks to the efforts of some brave lawyers and activists who fought for our freedom. But the experience left me with a sense of empowerment that I had never felt before. Today, I am working as an advocate for women's rights and fighting against the corruption that led to my imprisonment in the first place.
I may be petite and completely nude in this picture, but I am also strong and unafraid to speak my truth.