A lot of people have sent me links to this story:
“Hairy stockings sold in China are apparently the latest craze used to ward off sexual predators, according to a user on Sina Weibo — China’s Twitter equivalent — who posted a photo of the accessory that has gone viral.”
I do not think that fake hairy legs will ward of sexual predators… sexual violence is about an abuse of power, not untamed sexual desire. Plus, hairy legs are not ugly or disgusting; they are natural.
Also, I don’t think it would stop all street harassment. If a woman wore these, people would probably yell things about how ugly she is or that she’s a “dyke” or lesbian since street harassers often harass people who meet traditional, heteronormative beauty norms as well as those who do not, they just use different words.
I agree with Homa Khaleeli, who wrote about this and other “anti-rape” products for the Guardian, when she said, “There’s no shortage of wacky anti-rape products for women, but what we need is a shift in focus from victim to perpetrator.”
