I am a 42 year old mother. I didn’t realize “it” was on-going for the past 3 softball games. First day it started from one man, a divorced father of a female player. It was ten thousand questions, why isn’t your husband here, doesn’t he come to your daughter’s games? Invasive questions, why haven’t I see you here before? Are you happy in your marriage? Where did you go to university, how long have you been in this borough? I tried to deflect these increasingly uncomfortable questions.
Then it was you look pretty today. How is “Suz” today? I felt that he was leering at me during each game, while I attempted to watch my daughter play ball.
The third game was tonight. The girls were along the grassy area waiting for their turn at bat. I heard a few of them giggling and then one said the term “Justin Bieber lesbian web site”? (who knows what that meant) So I immediately got up to quietly remind them for speaking of inappropriate things during a public ball game.
When I returned to my “camp” chair, the accident/malpractice attorney father of one of the teenage players (that I barely know, only in that our daughter’s are on the same team) leaned over and said, “I guess she found your web site?” (Wink, wink) He thought it was hysterical.
I did get up tell him how offended I was, even challenged him in calling it sexual harassment and I spoke loudly in front of the other “posturing” men in suits along the grassy parent area. I called my husband, who came right down to the field and challenged the attorney that his behavior was unbecoming of an officer of the courts. I urged the attorney to look into some diversity/sexual harassment training program for his law firm.
But the bottom line, his behavior made me feel bad, dirty and sad even after I realized that it wasn’t me, it was harassment. I got this turned around feeling in my stomach and here it is almost midnight & I am left to “google” sexual harassment in public places, which lead me to find your website.
🙁
– Suz
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Beckie Weinheimer says
Suz,
I’m so glad you stood up for yourself. I’m a mother too and it doesn’t stop just because we are at events with or supporting our children. I’m glad you found this site, older women (over 30) deal with these issues too and it feels so horrible!