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Are You Conceited or Ugly?

June 22, 2009 By Contributor

I was walking down the street in the Bronx to go catch the 6 train. As I’m walking, a man begins to follow me. He began talking to me and started saying things like “what are you? conceited or ugly?” after I had kept walking and not paying attention to him. Since he evidently was becoming annoyed when calling me ugly did not work. I guess he was expecting me to stop and turn around to prove that I’m not ugly nor conceited. He continued on to follow me and explain to me that it is his day off and he can follow me all day. I guess he thought that threatening to stalk a woman is a good way to get her to stop and give him attention. After trying to ignore, I could no longer handle it and was beginning to become frightened, feeling like he really was going to follow me and not leave me alone. Out of nerves, I dialed my friend on my cell phone and asked if she wanted her sweater, since it was left in my house, after she said yes, I did a U-turn and walked across the street back to my house. Thankfully he did not follow.

– Lisa

Location: Bronx, New York

(Submit your stories here)

Street Harassment Round Up – June 21

June 21, 2009 By HKearl

Stories:

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.

On this blog, women in Chicago and Hawaii talk about being fed up by the volume of street harassment they face on a daily to weekly basis.
On HollaBack Toronto, a contributor wrote a post about having a TTC subway employees flirt with/harass her when she was paying her fare. The Director of Corporate Communications for TTC saw the post and wrote to HB Toronto with information about how passengers can file complaints about employees. This post was followed by one from another contributor telling about a time a TTC employee made her feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Harassment on public transportation is global!
On Holla Back NYC, a contributor tells about getting oogled by men at a community pool, but they complained to the pool management and then men had to leave.
Holla Back DC! has a contributor post from a woman who was asked “how’d you get that cute ass” by a man who then turned very angry when she asked him not to harass her.
Two years ago Blank Noise Project asked readers to submit their list of things they wished they could do in their city (for example, smile when they wanted, not have to think about who’s watching them, be able to go out at night and be safe…) and this past Saturday afternoon, they invited people to come to Cubbon Park to live out their wish list, including wearing something they wished they could wear but never had for fear of harassment.

In the News:

In Beijing, a bill for sex-segregated subway cars has been submitted for consideration due to high rates of sexual harassment on the subway.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported on the work of the Rogers Park Women’s Action Team’s work to combat sexual harassment on public transportation in Chicago.
Emily May, co-founder of Holla Back NYC talked about harassment on New York’s public transportation system on radio station WBAI. People could call in with questions.

Upcoming Events:

June 27 (2-4 p.m.): Girls and women ages 12-25 are invited to share their stories about sexual harassment on the Chicago buses and subways with the Rogers Park Young Women’s Action Team. Berger Park Cultural Center, 6205 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL.
June 27 (11 a.m. – 2 p.m.): Defend Yourself’s Intro to self defense for LGBTQI, downtown DC (near Mt. Vernon Sq. and Convention Center)

Street Harassment Resource of the Week:

Girls for Gender Equity’s Street Harassment is a Crime poster

No, I Will Not Marry You!

June 18, 2009 By Contributor

After getting off the bus, I make a call on my cell phone, passing by a man who says, “Hey baby. Marry me.” I had already passed him when he said it so I just kept walking. I sat down at a Coldstone Creamery table to finish the conversation and eat a snack when the guy comes over and stands in front of me. He says hi and quickly leans in toward my neck when I tell him very loudly and firmly to leave me alone and get away from me. He acts insulted and tells me he only wanted to look at what was on my necklace. I give him a look of contempt and he finally leaves me alone, yelling “Fuck you! Fuck you you fucking bitch!” the entire time he walks down the sidewalk.

I am a student here in Honolulu, I have no car and I am almost always by myself when I run errands at the store or grocery. I am absolutely sick of dealing with this type of bullshit every time I leave my home. I never dealt with this sort of constant harassment in any other city I have lived in.

I am certainly not going to stop telling these pathetic old men to leave me alone just because they will yell and threaten me. I felt completely furious. I was angrier than the time I was waiting at a bus stop and a man got off and persisted to say he’d seen me before and took out his wallet to get out money when I threatened to call the police to get him to leave. Enough is enough, but what can I do?! I don’t know what to do anymore and fear that if I keep having to deal with this on an almost daily basis I will explode on someone one day.

– anonymous

Location: 710 Keeaumoku St, Honolulu, HI

New Women-Only Subway Car Bill Introduced in Beijing

June 17, 2009 By HKearl

In early May, I reported that some lawmakers in Beijing were contemplating women-only subway cars to help cut down on problems like sexual harassment.

Today, the Finchannel.com reports that a bill has been submitted for consideration and could be adopted “in the near future.”

“According to the Chinese capital’s lawmakers, over 40% of female passengers complain of some form of sexual harassment in the city’s subway…’Sexual harassment in the subway is common during rush hours,’ the bill says. ‘Creating separate compartments for women is significant for establishing a well-mannered society.'”

Apparently sexual harassment was only made a criminal offense in China in 2005 and the first guilty verdict was issued by a Chinese court last July. The article says that currently Chinese lawmakers also are discussing introducing a law on protecting men’s rights to ensure the legislation treats the sexes equally.

This Friday: Subway Harassment Discussion on the Radio

June 17, 2009 By HKearl

“Sick of being on the alert or being harassed on the subway where crimes that are often discrimination-based that disproportionately affect women, minorities and LGBT folk happen? Find out how the MTA hides these crime stats and what to do about it from Emily May co-founder of HollabackNYC.com and New Yorkers for Safe Transit, and co-chair of Girls for Gender Equity”

On Friday, June 19, 2009, HollabackNYC co-founder Emily May will be on the NYC radio station WBAI from 1 – 1:40 p.m. EST talking about harassment on the NY public transportation system. The show will be accepting calls – so call in to give her your questions and feedback!

You also can listen to the show live over the Internet.

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