By Kendra Corbin, SSH Intern
I’ve been an intern at Stop Street Harassment for over a month now. During this time, I’ve had the opportunity to read countless stories about experiences with harassment on the street. It’s emphasized that crappy, unfair things happen in this world to good people. But at the same time, I still hold my faith in humanity because I know that wonderful people are still out there. I have learned this through my personal experiences with street respect.
Stop Street Harassment defines street respect as: “the term for respectful, polite, and consensual interactions that happen between strangers in public spaces. It is the exact opposite of ‘street harassment.'”
I believe that every individual’s comfort level with strangers is different, and that’s okay. Some people yearn for constant social interaction while others want to be left alone while walking through town or running errands. For me, fewer things brighten my day more than a polite person walking past me and saying, “Good morning, ma’am! How are you doing today?” I’m also a huge sucker for people that exchange friendly smiles with me, hold the door open for me when walking into buildings, or make pleasant small-talk while waiting in lines. I find it refreshing to experience polite courtesies in public instead of rude comments or behavior.
I wish that street harassers knew just how far respectful behavior would take them in life. I once had a young man randomly approach me in public. He handed me a card with his name and phone number on it. He smiled at me as he said, “Hi, I know you don’t know me, but I just wanted to give you my card. If you want, please feel free to text me. I would love to take you out sometime. Have a nice day.” With that, he walked away. There are a few reasons why this short conversation was so memorable:
1) While I never contacted him because I already have a loving boyfriend, I appreciated that he did not try to make me feel uncomfortable by being pushy
2) The conversation was kept short, sweet, and polite
3) He gave me the choice to call him instead of putting me in the awkward position of asking for my phone number on the spot
4) I’m at the age when it’s expected that people couple-up. Even if I’m not interested, I honestly do not mind if young men try to approach me, as long as they are respectful. That includes respecting my decision to decline any advances.
This experience proves that it’s possible for men to approach women in public in a healthy, safe manner. There is no need to whistle from cars, to honk horns, to stare in creepy ways, to shout obscenities, to touch someone without consent, or to make another person feel unsafe in any way. That type of behavior will not get anyone far. Nobody enjoys being degraded as they walk down the street.
Respect makes all the difference between ruining another person’s day and making another person feel great. Thank you to everyone out there that already understands the beauty of mutual respect for others.
Kendra Corbin is senior at Shenandoah University. She is majoring in Mass Communications and minoring in Women’s Studies.
