I work for a company that applies foils on windows, since it’s physical work my boss always tells me and my other colleagues to wear comfortable clothes such as long trousers and our t-shirt from the company itself. It’s definitely not a job to wear your high heels and a fancy dress. Other than that, my boss wants to prevent me and my other female colleague to get harassed during work. Me and my colleague wear male clothing since well, it’s physical work, we don’t care how we look like during work.
Unfortunately, harassment still happens, even when I’m wearing my work-clothing. Yesterday i had to leave work earlier since i didn’t felt good, my boss also saw I looked pretty pale and said he didn’t mind me leaving a bit earlier. I walk back to the office where all my stuff was, at the stoplight, i notice two guys who caught there eyes on me, who also started making faces at me and also pointed a little a me, like they wanted to say to me ‘we have our eyes on you’. I knew they would yell something at me once the light would turn green and indeed, once they drove by they yelled some stuff that sounded like ‘HOW MUCH?!’ and ‘HEEYYYY SEXY!!’
I just walked over the street like nothing happened, but inside I was raging. What was I supposed to do? If I would’ve put up my middle finger I could make things even worse. I walked back to the office so i could rest a little before my mom would pick me up, i got a call from my other boss if i could check if her husband was still at the workplace since i didn’t pick up his phone. When i was done checking on him i walked back to the office, hoping nobody would yell something at me, it happened AGAIN. While crossing the road, a car with a whole bunch of guys made animal noises at me while driving by, it only happened in a few seconds, but i can still hear them laughing, probably because of my shocked face. It didn’t happen again that day, but i was so pissed off.
Even in my brother’s old jogging trousers, an old black sweater, no make up on, my hair in a simple ponytail and with a pale, sick face i still get harassed. I don’t understand, why do people feel the absolute need to harass me even when i don’t look attractive and when i clearly look sick? I wonder what these people think, i honestly think when they see me is: ‘Oh look, someone with a vagina, let’s ruin her day by shouting some sexist stuff at her!’
It honestly doesn’t matter what you are wearing, or even if you look sick or not, IT STILL HAPPENS.
– Anonymous
Location: Belgium
