What were you wearing when you were sexually harassed?

Yesterday Jezebel asked this question in an informal poll on their website. Today they posted the results:

I clicked several of the choices and I also clicked “other” and wrote in running clothes because I’ve been harassed the most while running.

Some of the other “other” options they listed include:

• while picking my nose
• in a bar, in a car, in a hat, on a mat…
• carrying stacks of books around from the library
• in scout uniform, in overalls and in granny jumpers
• wearing a hijab
• walking, waiting for a bus, generally being female
• wearing USMC camo uniform
• with women/with my girlfriend/at pride and/or queer events
• walking to a restaurant with my parents at age 13
• picking up dog poop
• giving a guy a lapdance.
• doing the time warp
• in an ambulance after I broke my LEG.
• While at the top of a 20 foot ladder.
• entering a house of worship
• Unbathed in the aftermath of a hurricane by out of state rescue workers.
• dressed as the Virgin Mary (not a joke)
• karate uniform
• dressed as a toy soldier for a production of The Nutcracker, at age 12
• crying my eyes out over a family death
• walking my son in stroller; attending a pro-choice lobby day at my state capital
• wearing my Arby’s uniform
• while having a job interview at an outside cafe
• crying/ about to get an abortion
• Like a fucking Amish lady
• As a 9 year old, wearing overalls.
• with horse-manure stains on my clothes and hay in my hair
• wearing ann taylor
• in a gargoyle costume (it was Halloween, and no, I wasn’t a “sexy gargoyle.”

In India, Blank Noise collects articles of clothing to show how men harass women in all sorts of clothes and that women “Never Ask For It.” This poll demonstrates the same thing. What is so frustrating to me about gender-based harassment compared to other forms of harassment is how much time we have to spend undoing victim-blaming, showing that this is an issue that women don’t bring on themselves, and proving its existence.

As hard as it may be for some people to believe or to have to face, the reality is that every day women are harassed by men just because we are women, not because of what we wear!! This is a societal problem and it must end before women will ever have a chance of achieving equality with men.