Archives for 2011

Reporting a flasher felt empowering!

November 3, 2011 By Contributor

I was walking home from a friend’s house and a guy began yelling abuse at me. I just tried to ignore it and carried on, he then followed me and yelled, “Excuse me!?”

Stupidly I turned around and the guy flashed me. I was so scared at this point, so I just carried on walking quite quickly to get to my house.

Later on in the day I met a friend of mine and we went to the police station to report it. I thought my area of town was pretty safe but it can happen anywhere I guess. Felt empowering to report it!

– JL

Location: Basildon, Essex, UK

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.
Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

“They were trying to pull her into the van”

November 2, 2011 By Contributor

Trigger Warning

A white van pulled up on a zebra crossing as I was walking along the pavement. Two men got out of the van and started to walk towards me. I said, “What do you want?” because I had suffered street harassment all evening, and one of the men said, “You.”

I swore at them and ran away. I composed myself for a moment and continued on my journey. As I turned the corner, the same two men were trying to pull another woman into the van. They had actually taken hold of her arms and were trying to pull her into the van. When they saw me, they got into the van and sped off. I asked the woman if she was okay but she was in shock.

– Anonymous

Location: Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem.
Find suggestions for what YOU can do about this human rights issue.

“At least your new hair cut screams, ‘Guys in trucks bark and howl now.'”

November 1, 2011 By HKearl

“In this country we tend to be proud of the fact that we don’t cover “our” women in burkas. But, as bell hooks said — whether it’s obvious or subtle, oppression is oppression. Ubiquitously practiced sex-based public harassment is a form of oppression that we tolerate as women and cultivate as a society to our net detriment. This is a social injustice that undermines our most lofty claims about what America represents.”

Artist and writer Soraya Chemaly penned this in her recent powerful Huffington Post piece, “Street Harassment is Everywhere; What do We Tell Our Daughters?”

Her article is spot on and speaks to the way street harassment limits women’s equality with men and makes public places less safe for us, and acknowledges that this is a messed up thing to have to tell our daughters.

Last week I had the good fortune to chat with her about street harassment. One thing we discussed is how humor can be an effective tool for raising awareness about street harassment. Since Soraya is a witty and creative feminist as well as an excellent writer, over the weekend she cooked up a cartoon. Watch and share it widely! The transcript is below.

Friend 1:

Good morning. Are you going to work dressed like that?

Friend 2:

Is it obvious? I’m practically begging some random dude in the coffee shop to tell me I have a luscious ass. That way I can make a fake phone call while I wait for my coffee and he can call me a stuck up dyke. It’s a great way to start the day.

Friend 1:

It’s so nice out. Are you sure that’s what you want? Look at me. I’m wearing my Nice Tits dress.

Friend 2:

I did try on my How-Much-Baby skirt but then I’d probably just get a quiet dick flash on the bus.

Friend 1:

Yeah, but, at least your new hair cut screams, “Guys in trucks bark and howl now.” They might even stop and offer you a ride. You could save on bus fare!

Friend 2:

I want to mix it up a bit, like when you lost all that weight last year.

Friend 1:

I know, but I sort of miss the compliments I used to get. You know, it was nice to hear Fat Slut now and then. No one ever calls me Thin Slut.

Friend 2:

You sound like my mom. She was at the grocery store in her vintage dumb bitch jacket yesterday and all she got was some guy grabbing her butt. He didn’t say a word.

Friend 1:

Aging sucks. Your Where’s-my-smile-baby coat might lift her spirits.

Friend 2:

My sister borrowed it. You know how much she likes flirting with guys she doesn’t know by not smiling at them and averting her eyes. It is so her. Before I forget, could I borrow a hair bow?

Friend 1:

Sure, why do you need a hair bow?

Friend 2:

I’m on air today doing a live broadcast. The anchor, you know, what’s his name, always says I’m gods-gift-to-men and so I thought a bow would be a nice touch.

Friend 1:

No problem. It’s in my sports bag wrapped up in the gym clothes I wear to get guys to help me when I’m exercising. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

Friend 2:

Forget how to lift things probably. I’m so glad to know you got some come hither sweaty gross guy spandex. Have to run.

Friend 1:

Have a great day!

Friend 2:

I will, you too!

Street Harassment Snapshot: Stories, News, & Tweets: October 30, 2011

October 30, 2011 By HKearl

Read stories, news articles, blog posts, and tweets about street harassment from the past week and find relevant announcements and upcoming street harassment events.

** Sign up to receive a monthly e-newsletter from Stop Street Harassment ***

Street Harassment Stories:

Share your story! You can read new street harassment stories on the Web from the past week at:

Stop Street Harassment Blog | “Street Respect” stories

HarassMap Egypt

Resist Harassment Lebanon

Hollaback Tegucigalpa

Hollaback West Yorkshire

In the News, on the Blogs:

* Racialicious, “Unsafe in Seattle”

* Feministe, “So There’s a Woman Dressed All Sexy-Like: Your Role as Observer“

* Huffington Post, “Street Harassment is Everywhere; What do We Tell Our Daughters?“

* Negin Dahya, “Big City Etiquette“

* HR Daily Advisor, “I Stopped My Harasser in His Tracks” and HR Daily Advisor, “How to Respond to a Harasser? 10 Things to Say“

* The Times of India, “On Diwali eve, many roads without street-lights“

* Reuters, “NY may close bus service that makes women sit in back“

* Gender Across Borders, “Street Culture“

* Her campus University of Leeds, “Street Harassment – The Daily Battle“

* Cool Age, “That evil called ‘street harassment‘”

* NY1, “Police Ramp Up Search For Queens Sexual Assault Suspect“

* LiveMint.com, “A girl’s guide to public speaking“

Announcements:

New:

* Sign the petition to tell Toronto Police to stop blaming victims for street harassment and sexual assault!!

Reminders:

* Participate in a “Taking Back Halloween” contest and show off your creativity for creating non-sexy costumes

* Donate to Students Active for Ending Rape so they can mentor and teach students to advocate for safer campuses!

* If you’re in London, help a Ph.D. student out with her dissertation research by meeting to share your street harassment stories.

* Contribute to the Monday “Street Respect” series that highlights the type of stories we want to see instead of street harassment stories!

* Call for men to share views/stories about street harassment

* Sign Mend the Gap’s petition to address subway harassment in Delhi, India

* Are you in Egypt? Use HarassMap to report your street harassers

* Have an iPhone? Download the Hollaback iPhone app that lets you report street harassers

10 Tweets from the Week:

1. Karnythia What I will do to protect myself is nothing compared to what I will do to protect my child. You won’t be here to engage in #streetharassment

2. nualacabral Excited to speak out on #streetharassment at the Media That Matters Film Festival this wk in NYC. mediathatmattersfest.org/news/media_tha… #p2 #fem2

3. feministteacher Students @lreinyc are writing their own responses to #streetharassment via spoken word, poetry, response yfrog.com/h7bltugj @GGENYC

4. rlalita @Bell_Bajao censors should ban every Bollywood movie with eve teasing, street harassment, & any form of abuse against women. #rewrite

5. cathredfern YES. Just successfully challenged street harassment i am shaking now so much

6. MarwanAnwar #EgyptianMisconception Hitting on random girls on the streets would make you the coolest person ever born

7. VAWMonth Read today’s live chat with @BLANK_NOISE on Street Violence Against Women by following #VAWAM.

8. HollabackCHD #KeenanSantos lost his life standing up against #streetharassment He chose to speak up. Will you? chd.ihollaback.org/2011/10/keenan…

9. PamelaScully Street harassment against women is most visible symptom that society uses fear to control more than 1/2 the population. huff.to/vclgbY

10. HollaBackBmore Women don’t always have the time or safety margin to determine between #streetharassment and a compliment. ow.ly/7d6au

Interview: Sydnie L. Mosley and The Window Sex Project

October 29, 2011 By HKearl

When I was in New York City two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet with Sydnie Mosely and talk about her anti-street harassment initiative The Window Sex Project. She has a big event coming up on November 12 and so I thought this was the perfect time to interview her so you all can learn about her creative project and how to get involved.

Stop Street Harassment (SSH): Hi Sydnie! To start, can you please share a little bit about who you are before we talk about the Window Sex Project?

Sydnie L. Mosley (SLM): Sure. I’m a New York City-based dancer, choreographer and teaching artist. I’m currently an Alumnae Fellow with the Barnard Center for Research on Women, a position that allows me to deepen my artistic work with the resources of the academy. I present my choreography with my Harlem-based company Sydnie L. Mosley Dances with works that seek to actively engage the audience’s physical and emotional senses with dance performance in addition to involving audiences in the artistic process. I earned an MFA in Dance with an emphasis on Choreography from the University of Iowa and a BA in Dance and Africana Studies from Barnard College.

SSH: Thank you. What is the Window Sex Project all about?

SLM: The Window Sex Project is a dance performance which addresses and tackles the every day practice in which women are “window shopped,” that is forced to bear unsolicited harassment from men while walking on the street. The Window Sex Project gives voice to these concerns and restores agency to women by celebrating their bodies in a public artwork informed by members of the Harlem community, for the Harlem community.

The work places women of varying races and body types on pedestals in an art gallery setting, forcing audiences to contend with the objectification of the female body in a contemporary society. The dance investigates how a woman’s sexuality is perceived based on these physical attributes. It aims to equally celebrate all the bodies which are unique, and do not fit into generic models of womanhood.

This work is grounded in personal experiences, feminist theory, and a collective need to take action. Much of the movement content was generated from women who participated in free workshops over the summer, who were asked to create movement expressions of their harassment experiences. This aspect makes this activist project unique. The Window Sex Project specifically uses bodies, the site of harassment, as the mode of response and activism.

The sound score orchestrated by Ebonie Smith includes newly composed instrumental and/or vocal selections, energetic dance beats, a collection of “hollas” heard on the street, and also the voices and bodies of the dancers. Visual media aspects of the work include projected video of Harlem women who participated in community workshops, as well as the work of some visual artists in Harlem. The show also integrates excerpts of “Can I Get A Smile?” a one woman theater show written & performed by Leah King.

SSH: I love the integration of body, dance, and activism. What inspired your project?

SLM: I was inspired by a simultaneous creative want to make a dance about a woman’s body & sexuality, and my own daily experiences with street harassment and a need to act out against them. [In this video, she expands more on her inspiration and why she decided to address street harassment]

SSH: What kind of response are you getting to your work?

SLM: Harlem artists, businesses, organizations and people in general have been extremely receptive and supportive of this work. People have been and continue to be involved with the project in a myriad of ways. Community members have participated in workshops this past summer which took place at Grosvenor House YMCA, Barnard College at Columbia University and the Harlem School for the Arts.

Businesses such as The Body Shop in Harlem, Land Yoga and The Best Yet Market made generous donations in food & give away items to our participants. Local artists & teachers graciously volunteered their time to co-facilitate workshops.

Women continue to be involved by being a part of our online video series in which we ask them to share their story. Incredible artists including dancers, painters, and musicians have graciously shared their talent, time and energy to bring this work to fruition.

Lastly, the Barnard Center for Research on Women has become a major supporter of the work providing a home base for continued research & planning to produce a published curriculum for workshops, and dance performances.

SSH: That’s great to hear. And lastly, how can people get involved with The Window Sex Project?

SLM: There are several ways:

* Submit an online video link to you sharing your story like these.

*Submit a guest blog to sydnielmosleydances@gmail.com with the subject “Guest Blog” about your street harassment or related experiences to be posted on the website.

*Become a producer of our performance project by making a tax-deductible donation in ANY amount, and encouraging others to do the same.

*Plan to lead a community workshop in your own neighborhood in 2012. Email sydnielmosleydances@gmail.com with your interest.

*Attend a Work In Process showing and give your feed back as we develop the choreography. Help us make sure the dance speaks to you and your concerns.

If you’re in NYC on November 12: You are invited to see the first draft of the full length dance on Saturday, November 12 at 5 p.m. HOORAY! The showing will take place at Land Yoga located at 2116 Frederick Douglas Boulevard (between 114th & 115th Streets). The performance will be followed by an audience feedback session. Please attend & contribute your constructive criticism. This is a community work & I value each of your opinions.

*Spread the word! Follow @sydmosley & @SLMDances. Be friends with http://www.facebook.com/sydnielmosleydances. Use the hashtags #windowsexproject & #streetharassment.

SSH: Thank you!

Sydnie recently spoke about her work on a panel at Activism & the Academy: Celebrating 40 Years of Feminist Scholarship & Action, a conference in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Barnard Center for Research on Women.

Expanding Feminism: Collaborations for Social Justice from BCRW Videos on Vimeo.

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