I’d just moved to Chicago from Houston so I was adjusting to walking and taking public transportation as opposed to driving everywhere. Anyway, the weather finally broke that summer and I decided to break out a pair of shorts. These were not tight fitting shorts or “short” shorts, but apparently, they accented by behind and hips in a way that drew unwanted attention. I thought this was a fairly normal thing to do. I was subjected to lewd and inappropriate comments everywhere I went that day from the time I boarded the “L” train until I got back home that afternoon.
The worst of it came when a man in a car followed me for a whole city block trying to engage with me and then drove his car into the alley so he could block the sidewalk so I couldn’t pass. He asserted that he wouldn’t move his car until I gave him my phone number. I finally convinced him to move his car and let me pass by making up a story a bout being married and knowing that my (fake) husband would be mad if he knew I was talking to another man. That seemed to resonate with this man and I was allowed to continue walking home.
This was five years ago. I’ve not worn shorts again since then unless accompanied by my now husband.
– Lisa
Location: Chicago, IL
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