Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

A Grandpa Against Harassment

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Three generations of people speaking out against sexual harassment! Gerald Weinheimer, Beckie Weinheimer, Holly Kearl

[Note: I forgot to post this two weeks ago when I wrote it!]

My 84-year-old grandpa is visiting me and he gave me permission to share this on the blog.

One night when he was in college in Utah, he was invited to the girls’ dorm. He went into the dorm cafeteria with a friend and there were about 300 girls there and he was the only guy. He had asked ahead of time if any other guys would be there and his friend said usually there were 4 or 5 men, but it turned out that there were none there that night.

He felt uncomfortable as the only man there and then he can still remember one woman from Wyoming whistling at him and saying things like, “Hey good looking.”

He felt really uncomfortable and even though he knew they wouldn’t hurt him, he hated it.

That experience helped him better understand how girls and women feel when they’re harassed and it’s stuck with him for more than 60 years.

He is an ally in working to end harassment.

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Chicago — Fun Event on Sunday!

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Chicago SPS Mentoring Site Filming

Dear Chicago Supporters,

If you’re free on Sunday afternoon, you won’t want to miss our Safe Public Spaces Mentoring Site’s event that includes comics, spoken word, and the premiere of their film which is a parody of dating commercials.

Three couples (including one gay couple) pretend they met through street harassment. Check out a photo from the film shoot —>

Please RSVP and spread the word about the event!

Shout-out to site lead Phaydra Babinchok for all of her hard work and to BluPrint Designs for volunteering their talents to create the flyer.

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“It really stung”

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I was at the back of the bus today and a very large man was sitting directly to the right of me. As a defense mechanism, I endlessly stared at my phone, attempting not to make eye contact as he spat on the floor of the bus and loudly yelled out obscenities (to apparently no one in particular).

At one point he seems disoriented (–intoxicated) and started loudly screaming ,”Where the fuck are we going?” repeatedly. He pulled out a 40 of Olde English and begins to chug it – which distracted him for a while – but then he persisted in his loud questioning about the bus destination. He finally got a few muffled answers from nervous passengers but no one really spoke up. I finally said something and explained what buses he should take home, despite his condescending tone.

When I attempted to ignore him afterwards he began “complimenting me” – calling me a “good girl” and finally he said, “You should smile.” It really stung and I let out an audible sigh (which he later mocked). He claimed that he was a good guy and that he had been nothing but pleasant since the moment he got on the bus.

I felt trapped on that bus and quite afraid for my safety. I have been thinking about it for hours now.

– LMC

Location: A bus in Mississauga, ON, Canada

Share your street harassment story for the blog.

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Street Harassment in Giza

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Thanks to a viral video showing street harassment in Giza, a conversation about street harassment – and sexual harassment more generally – is happening.

Via Al-Monitor:

“There are many untold stories about sexual harassment in Gaza, home to 1.7 million Palestinians. In a conservative society such as Gaza’s, female victims of sexual harassment seldom speak out, and when she does, society usually places the blame on her. Although Hamas-affiliated media hid Abu Salama’s face due to such concerns, she bravely disclosed her identity on her Facebook page, acknowledging that she was the person videotaped. “I’m not the one who should feel ashamed, only him and everyone like him,” read Abu Salama’s post….

“A 24-year-old teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity said that no matter how much people in Gaza try to deny the existence of sexual harassment in their community, every single girl in Gaza has experienced some type of harassment.

“I get verbally harassed many times every single day. I even was physically harassed many times by passengers while using public taxis,” she said. The teacher admitted that she never acted against those who abused her in taxis, fearing how the other passengers might react.

“I don’t expect anyone to stand by me. All they will do is to look at me as a bad girl and start gossiping. I don’t want this.””

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Don’t Call Me a Faggot Campaign

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International Pop Recording Artist Tony Enos has a new anti-street harassment campaign! He kindly agreed to an interview to tell SSH readers all about it.

SSH: You’re tackling street harassment with a new campaign, what is that campaign?

TE: The campaign is called “Don’t Call Me A Faggot” and it’s an anti-street harassment campaign. Each person featured in the campaign ads states 3 things that define them as a person. In a sense saying, “I’m not define by your ignorance or your stereotypes. In fact it has nothing to do with me. THESE are the things that define me.”

SSH: What inspired the campaign?

TE: I endured bullying and harassment as a kid. Just walking down the street in my own neighborhood was a nightmare. 29 years later i’ts still happening to out LGBTQ youth and it’s unacceptable. Everyone is represented in this campaign but in my heart, this is for them (our youth).

SSH: What do you hope to achieve?

TE: I hope that the LGBTQ Community and youth will draw strength from this campaign and feel empowered to stand up against stereotypes. I hope that they’ll adopt this campaign as their own, and I hope that it will cause our heterosexual counter parts to rethink their actions and words.

SSH: How can people get involved?

TE: Anyone can get involved by liking the Facebook page, following us on Twitter and Instagram, and submitting a photo of themselves they authorize the campaign to use, their name and profession and 3 things that they “are” or that they feel define them (to lilt_entertainment_llc@yahoo.com).

Thank you!

Tony Enos is hailed as “the most exciting performer to come out of Philadelphia since Patti LeBelle” by gbmnews.com. His albums have sold units around the world and his electrifying live performances have made him one of the most sought after Entertainers in “out” music. He is the CEO of lil’ T Entertainment LLC. Visit him at www.tonyenos.com.

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