Jessie Koerner, Denver, Colorado, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent
Sunglasses? Check.
Shoulders back, head up? Check.
Bitchface on? Check.
Now I am ready to walk down the 16th Street Mall to go get my morning coffee, or lunch, or head home. This street is where tourists, businesspersons, locals on day trips, and all of Denver’s odd characters come together (ok, odd for us… nothing for me will ever beat the parrot chillin’ on a guy’s shoulder on the DC Metro). Lately, I’ve been feeling like we shouldn’t advertise 16th Street as somewhere tourists should go in our little city. Not least among the issues is the prevalence of – shocker! – degrading and insulting comments made to women on the street. None of them are new, none of them are clever, and none of them are appreciated.
However, this week has been fundamentally different. I have no idea if the men of Denver got the message finally, or if there was a secret Cotillion club I wasn’t invited to that everyone else attended. This week, I’ve gotten multiple ‘good mornings,’ three with ma’ams attached, which to me is just awesome given that my spirit animal is Effie Trinket. Then there was that one incredibly enthusiastic, “Hello! How are you today?” that made me so cheerful the rest of my Thursday. Among the interactions, there was none of the usual “smile for me, baby” or “mmmm work that skirt, girl.” NONE. For one whole, entire week I got a glimpse into the future. And it is beautiful.
This is why we speak out. This is why we applaud those brave souls who stand up and address their harassers (sometimes to hilarious results). I am not optimistic for the continued respite on my daily walks down Denver’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfare. I will still be printing out my copies of Cards Against Harassment, and arming myself with sunglasses and my formidable bitchface that just dares anyone to speak to me. I mean, come on though, I’m a chatty person, and it kills me that I have to indicate that I am not friendly in order to walk down the street in peace.
Street harassment is one of the most unfortunate equalizers of humanity.Sixteenth Street is one of those places where it’s obvious that misogyny and street harassment permeate all classes and races. I have been harassed by the homeless dude on the corner, the slickly dressed young professional, and the teenager that should have been in school. I have seen women who are skinny, old, dread-locked, supermodel gorgeous, and homely all harassed on the street. Most shoot a glare to the harasser, or hasten their step, embodying the intimidation and fear instilled in us by the thought of confronting the man, or men, making the comments. I love the social experiments that turn the tables on men – women creepin’ on them for once. The one element that can’t be replicated though is the fear.
My father and I recently got into a heated discussion about #yesallwomen and street harassment. After all of our talks on human trafficking and prostitution, my attempt to shock him into agreement from his ‘devil’s advocate’ position may have failed. It also may have come from the fact that he walks down the same street every day that I do, and inevitably has heard the comments made to the women around him. We are at the point that me reiterating the disgusting things said to me don’t even shock my father. We can either make the choice right now as a society that we will not allow half our population to be insulted, objectified, and intimidated out in public, or that we will expect half our population to just shut up and deal with it – like, as my dear dad compared it to, it was going on vacation in Florida, where you know it’s going to rain every day at 3 pm, and complaining about it.
His point? What are we going to do about it?
My plan is to hand out those Cards to my harassers, start a Hollaback! activism chapter here in Denver, write for Stop Street Harassment about what’s happening in Colorado, and incessantly talk with others about why this is a real, legitimate problem, and that it does NOT have to be like this.
That’s what the past week has proven to me, anyway.
What are you going to do?
Jessie is a longtime human rights activist with a feminist focus. She founded the Amnesty International chapter in college, is an active participant in JustWorld International, and manages the social media accounts for the Global Women’s Network and winnovating.com, where she also blogs. Find her on Twitter and Instagram, @pearlsandspurs.
