It’s legal for both men and women to be topless in San Francisco. On the rare occasion that I exercise this freedom by myself, I am met by hoards of street harassers, slut shamers, and “well-intended” warnings about how much exposed skin warrants me being raped.
In the middle of the day as I was walking home, a man followed me very closely for 5 blocks. I told him to go away, but he kept following me. I slowed down my pace. I sped up my pace. He matched it. I started recording him. Finally I decided I had no choice but to stop and scream. When I stopped in my tracks, he backed away, circled me grinning, and finally left.
With or without a shirt, street harassment in San Francisco is a frightening, day to day reality for women. But I won’t let a few slut shamers and street harassers keep my flat chest from taking in the rare San Francisco sun.
Optional: What’s one way you think we can make public places safer for everyone?
Encourage women to report and record harassers.
– Chelsea Ducote
Location: San Francisco, CA
Share your street harassment story for the blog.
See the book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers for more idea.
