It is not often that I get support from bystanders when standing up against street harassers.
I was walking up 11th Street and turned left on the corner to get on G Street, and I passed two men who were walking on 11th. One of them said, “Ooh, moody moo!” at me. I have no clue what that means, but said, “NO!” at him. A woman who was nearby smiled in support of me standing up to him.
Then as I proceeded on G, I passed a man who was sitting on the sidewalk and asking for change. He mumbled something weird and was looking lustfully at my ankles. I once again said, “NO!”, and when the harasser kept mumbling sexual-sounding stuff, I said, “Leave women alone!”
The same woman said, “Thank god for you!” and said something about how more people need to speak up against this.
“I have to,” I said. “It [street harassment] is ridiculous.”
The woman went off another way as I waited to cross a light, and I didn’t get a chance to thank her for supporting me in standing up against harassment. Usually when people see me standing up to harassers they either ignore it, think it’s funny, or tell me that I bring this stuff upon myself for taking harassment too seriously. So when I do encounter people who support standing up against street harassment, it feels great to know that there are people who think that this is a problem.
– D
Location: 11th and G Streets N.W., Washington, DC
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