Hey.
When I was thirteen, I was walking home one afternoon. I was at intermediate/middle school/elementary at the time so I was in uniform. I was walking near the lagoon which is near a College, and I was about to cross a road, when a few eighteen/nineteen year olds pulled up in their car. Stopping me from being able to cross. They all had grins on their faces and one shouted “DO YOU WANT TO GO OUT WITH ME!?”.
I froze. I didn’t move and they just continued to laugh and finally drove away. I had a panic attack, ran home and in tears called my Mum and a friend. I ended up walking over to my friends house and they looked after me.
So after reading that, some thoughts may be going through
your head.
“They were laughing! It was just a joke!” Interesting. Usually jokes are made to make both parties feel good and both to laugh. Plus I don’t think yelling at a thirteen year old about going out with an eighteen year old she doesn’t know is even remotely funny.
“You’re overreacting.. you just want attention!” But the
thing is, I have never wanted attention, that day I was just walking home. Not
calling attention to myself, not doing anything except walking. My skirt was
not short so don’t even think about saying I asked for it by my clothing (which
is impossible as clothing doesn't speak)
“It’s not a big deal, not like you were raped or anything.”
But to me I felt like it was a big deal. Part of what society has taught us is don’t
speak up, it doesn't matter, and you’re just a girl. The real thing here is
women are constantly vulnerable. It’s women who when they are getting dressed
think ‘Oh I better not dress like a slut!’ When the reality is you can wear
whatever the heck you want to wear. And for this women should not be slandered
as ‘sluts’ or ‘whores’ or ‘hookers’. Because its your body. Nobody has the
right to comment on it except you. The idea of squashing the problem of
catcalling is only making it worse. No one deserves to feel like less than a
human.
“It’s a compliment!” This is the one I have the biggest
issue with. If you see someone you have never met before don’t say things like ‘hey
beautiful’ dude. You don’t know that person. You don’t know how they are going
to react or how they are already feeling. Once again, compliments are supposed
to make you feel good, and empowered. How does yelling something out your
window to a young girl going to make her feel good or you feel good. – If you
do happen to feel good for yelling things a young girls you’re disgusting. Women
are not objects for you to comment on.
After that day, I could not walk home my usual route. I
walked longer to get home and I couldn't walk alone. I still have not walked
home alone that same route since.
See this video about the woman walking down the street in NYC.
And this video about someone talking - probably more eloquently than me about catcalling.
Thanks for reading! Hopefully someone learnt something from this blogpost xx
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| it really does! xx |
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