Stop Street Harassment

Making Public Spaces Safe and Welcoming

“What we wish construction workers would really say”

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By Liza Donnelly

I’ve been following prolific, funny, and smart cartoonist Liza Donnelly on twitter for a while now. You can find her work regularly in The New Yorker and on Women’s Enews. Her cartoons have been published in many other impressive publications and she is the author of several books.

A few months ago I asked her if she’d created any cartoons about street harassment. She told me that yes, there is one in her newly released book, When Do They Serve the Wine? The Folly, Flexibility, and Fun of Being a Woman. I read it this week – it’s fantastic – and Liza gave me her permission to post the above street harassment cartoon on my blog for you all to enjoy.

Via e-mail, Liza explained why she created this cartoon:

“First of all, the construction worker scene is such a cliche scenario for sexism, so I wanted to use it somehow in a cartoon.  I decided to simply flip it to show what some of us women would rather hear. At the same time making fun of our positions as women and what we want to hear.  As I have gotten older now, I don’t get looked at on the street as I used to, which is liberating…but also I find myself strangely wondering what’s wrong with me if I don’t get looks or sexual chides. Then I remember that I am ‘old’ (I’m only 55!).”

Thanks, Liza, for ensuring that women’s experiences and perspectives are found in the male-dominated cartooning world and thank you in particular for showing that the catcall-type street harassment women experience is not truly a compliment and is not what we want to hear. Be sure to check out Liza’s work and her latest book! Oh, and follow her on twitter, @LizaDonnelly.

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“All of a sudden, it wasn’t funny anymore. We felt threatened & uncomfortable.”

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My friend and I were walking to the deli one summer night to buy some snacks. It was about 8 p.m. and it was starting to get a little dark. As we were walking there, we received some whistles and some, “How are you ladies today?” but we just laughed because it was funny and a little flattering, I must admit.

While we were walking back, there was a group of guys across the street outside of a house just hanging out. Their ages ranged from maybe about 17-20. As we passed by them, a guy starting shouting some words to us but we didn’t hear him so we just kept on going. Then he power strided across the street full force, almost getting hit by a car, shouting, “Ayo mami, what’s good?” and, “I’m talking to you, turn around!”

He was coming towards us very aggressively and I was scared. A few of his friends had to hold him back because they noticed how obscene his behavior was. I was so scared, that I jogged away a little because my heart was beating intensely. The guy got very close, he almost grabbed me, but luckily his friend got him and apologized to us for his actions.

I was very shaken after this. He almost got hit by a CAR, but he kept going! We were only 13 at the time. Sure, we looked older than our age, but even if we were older, that is just not appropriate at all.

It did not feel good at all. We didn’t laugh. We weren’t flattered. All of a sudden, it wasn’t funny anymore. We felt threatened and uncomfortable. He crossed the line.

– Veronica

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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Names that demean women

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I haven’t had any experiences with harassment recently (which is a change) but i would like to share my thoughts with you about something that has bothered me since i was 16. This is about the sexual double standard. Now as im sure most of you are well aware of it, you must know exactly what i mean.

I am 19. So im still young and learning but i have definitely learnt that being a woman, i have had to deal with the fact that im going to be discriminated against because of my gender. There are three reasons why i have been called names, laughed at, critised, humiliated and objectified.

1) Because i am rather big busted. Actually i am an average size D cup, but others think different.

2) I can come across at times as being rather ‘hawty’. Also meaning ‘stuck up’.

3) The biggest reason of all, because im a WOMAN.

Now let me tell you that i have been called many different names BUT as im a female, i’ve been called these particular nasty names which i have taken more notice of. I feel these names demeans our gender and is what created the sexual double standard.

Bitch, prude, snob, slag, slut, tart and cunt.
I absolutely HATE these names.
I am called a bitch for standing up for myself.
I am called a prude if i rejected some jerks lewd advances.
I am called a slag because i wear a low top.
This makes me so mad!

If i was a man, i wouldn’t be called any of these names but because i have a vagina, i have been called these names countless flipping times!

Men have sneered at my breasts. I remember once a guy telling me that my ‘tits’ are so big, i’d crash a car! Well these ‘tits’ ( oh and they’ve always got to use the most crude language don’t they) are a very useful thing on a woman and once upon a time, your mother fed you milk from these wonderful things to keep you alive as a baby!

Some men are so damned foul mouthed. Exuse me ranting so much but i’ve just about had enough of it! I deserve to be treated with respect and not have to feel constantly nervous when i go out incase men stare at me, pass remarks or critise me. I should be able to wear what i want, be proud of my body and have every right to turn down a mans pathetic chat up lines!

Honestly, what makes them think asking a woman for a shag is so flattering?! It’s not, it’s rude! When are men ever going to learn that women are not here to be portrayed. We are human beings, not sex objects!

– Clarice

Location: Wales, UK

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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“The solidarity of women…left me feeling empowered”

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Dressed in my finest power suit, I walked along a tree-lined street in cobble hill, the sun was shining and I felt great as I mentally prepared for my interview. As I passed a brownstone where people were unloading party supplies from a Party Rental LTD truck, you know the one with the pink hippo painted on the trucks, one of the delivery men came close to me and whispered in his best husky voice, “Hey sexy, i would want to get to know you”, I was shocked, for some silly reason I thought no street predator could possibly bother a woman in a power suit…

Normally, I would walk away fuming or give the jerk a dirty look, but I was my power suit damn it, so I walked up to this man and asked him his name and why he felt it was acceptable to degrade women. Robert (no last name) covered his work badge, and cowered away yelling out apologies as I threaten to call his company and report him. Funny enough I drew a mob of woman backing me up – the solidarity of women (and hopefully the firing of Robert) left me feeling empowered, but sadly, this is only one jerk that may second guess harassing women.

– Anonymous

Location: Congress btw Henry and Clinton, Brooklyn, New York

Share your street harassment story today and help raise awareness about the problem. Include your location and it will be added to the Street Harassment Map.

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Weekly Round Up: October 17, 2010

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Story Submissions Recap:

I accept street harassment submissions from anywhere in the world. Share your story!

In the News, On the Blogs:

Announcements:

Upcoming Events:

10 Tweets from the Week:

  • jonubian: I don’t think most people understand how terrorizing street harassment can be.
  • mjbyars @DesiSanchez we need more of that from women. Embarrassing harassers is one way for women to send a loud message about #streetharassment.
  • jennpozner Walking to meet w/ Emily of @ihollaback. Think her aura’s working:1st time in ages no #streetharassment in 10blocks so far.
  • thekateblack To the guy who tried to grab my tits on the Bedford L platform: Eat the third rail, you miserable piece of shit. #streetharassment #NYC
  • HollabackPGH we <3 @bikepgh, who are working to make the streets safer for people who ride bikes. we want that too!
  • ElizabethOwens This is a belated entry from last weekend, but the girls in my program and I did some awesome hollabacks at street harassment. #effoff
  • euonymy Street harassment: really fucking unpleasant.
  • happiestrotteen on a more sombre note, i was a victim of (sexual) street harassment in kilburn today (just 1 incident of hundreds, thousands in my life)
  • nazzynasir At what century of your twisted pathetic brain would a married woman like me ever respond to a catcall whistle? Want to die isit?
  • hymnforrachel another friendly reminder: guys, girls don’t like with when you catcall at them..well, any self-respecting girl.
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