Equality for women “remains the great unfinished business of the 21st century,” Hillary Clinton said at the UN yesterday, in her International Women’s Day speech. “No country in the world, including my own, has achieved full participation.”

This is true and street harassment is a symptom of that inequality. Women feel less safe than men in public spaces in every country and sexual harassment in public spaces (as well as in schools, workplaces, places of worship, and homes) is the main reason. The lack of safety keeps many women out of public spaces. That is not equality.

We deserve a world where everyone has equal access to public spaces and the resources and opportunities there. We must speak out and demand it and work toward it.

Here are five ways you can help make the streets safer:

1. Share your story – bring attention to this problem. If you’re not impacted by this issue directly, read the stories of those who are to better understand why this matters.

2. Plan to participate in International Anti-Street Harassment Week, March 30 – April 5. Bring attention to this issue in your community and work toward solutions.

3. Find ideas for dealing with the issue, including the toolkit Know Your Rights: Street Harassment and the Law and the new book 50 Stories about Stopping Street Harassers

4. Become a male ally, speak out when you see a guy harassing women. Mentor young men.

5. Donate $10+ to help fund the first-ever national study on street harassment in the USA — we can better address the problem once we know more about what is happening, where, to whom and by whom.

One of the best things about Twitter is that it makes it easy to connect with people speaking out against street harassment, like musician Damian Washington. He recently wrote a great song about street harassment, S T F U! (Anti-catcalling Anthem). Lyrics are found at the bottom of the post.

When we moved to e-mail, I asked him what inspired the song. He said:

“I’ve been making hip hop music for over a decade and one day my wife, who has inspired many of my songs, said I should pen a tune about street harassment.  I was up to the challenge of making something that covered as much of the issue as possible within three minutes that didn’t pull any punches, yet wasn’t overwhelmingly negative.  Just as black people didn’t get rights until white people got involved, nor gay people without the help of straight people, women need men to actively participate in the struggle for gender equality.

It’s been great seeing the conversation the song has started among my friends on social media and, ultimately, the song and video serve to expand the dialogue on what is socially acceptable and aims to contribute to the evolution of gender dynamics.”

Thank you, Damian! We do need men like you to speak out and create a culture where street harassment is unacceptable.

Learn more about Damian and his work:

Damian attended the LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts (the school depicted in the movie Fame) while doing some theater, voiceovers and commercials along the way. After getting a B.A. in Theater and Eastern Asian Religions from Middlebury College, and acting for a few years in New York City, he moved to Los Angeles.  He continues to perform in commercials and is working toward television and film appearances.  www.damianwashington.com

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LYRICS:

this type of story happens every day
men think they macks but they just harass
think it’s clever or make her day a little better
but for real she’s fed up and wish you’d shut up
it pours when it rains the commentary range
from ‘hey, pretty lady’ to straight profane
with the only confidence they only givin’ complements
but how you gonna pull a woman talkin’ that nonsense?
like “lemmie them numbers to dial”
“You put the U in beautiful, girl, you should smile”
“Got cake for days, Ma.  Nice legs!”
“You serve up fries to go with all that shake?”
every day rain or shine cold or hot
the tale of any female soon as she step on the block
think this don’t apply to you, Smooth, let me explain ya
your is words like candy
can’t take ’em from strangers

way too deep for just a song
when you holla in the street you’re wrong
be a man and understand
she give a damn what you think, dude
s.t.f.u!
just tryin’ to get to work, jerk!
s.t.f.u!!
just tryin’ to get home, homles
s.t.f.u!!
who me? yes, you!
ya heard? f.u.
just do the world a favor, man,
s.t.f.u

the peanut gallery pushes women to the brink
it’s harassment, G, no matter what you think
and when she say that much some quick to flip the script
like “Whatever, you ain’t that fly no way, bitch”
whoa, that was your boo just seconds ago
oh, your feelings hurt so a tantrum ya throw?
just told ya, Casanova, it’s disrespectful and gross
and if she had her way today would stick your head on a post
and hang it at the town gate to show the fate
of all misogynists and type preposterous when folks say
“don’t want attention wear, girl, something different”
the whole point you missin’ and blaming the victim!
she stays safe with a swift pace movin’ in silence
don’t know who’s being rude or who could be violent
put cats on blast to make this crap the past
all men ain’t gentlemen but do better than that
for real

way too deep for just a song
when you holla in the street you’re wrong
be a man and understand
she give a damn what you think, dude
s.t.f.u!
just tryin’ to get to work, jerk!
s.t.f.u!!
just tryin’ to get home, homles
s.t.f.u!!
who me? yes you!
ya heard? f.u.
For real, c’mon, son, S.T.F.U.