HollaBack

The other night I was waiting on a lift from my dad, and I was meeting him in George Square. So I stood on the corner ready to jump in the car in case he couldn't stop in the traffic. As I stood there, two guys about my age came past and one of them - a short, podgy, wee thing - asked if I was 'looking for business.' Now, I was well covered up in trousers, woollen cardi, and scarf and was clearly waiting for someone - in no way can I have looked like I was standing there waiting to be picked up for sex. So why did this rat-boy come up and say that to me?? At first I was so shocked I asked him to repeat what he said... and then I gave him hell. I said I was sorry if the only way he ever got to have sex was to pay for it, though I wasn't surprised as he was a bit of a runt, and then I asked why he thought that a woman standing on her own in a street must automatically be a hooker, and what the hell right he thought he had to harrass me the way he did? I think he was a bit taken aback but he also seemed quite pleased with himself. Even though it was just me and him, I'm sure he thought he'd given himself some kind of cred by approaching a 'hooker' and then obviously pissing off this woman who wasn't a hooker at all. Eventually he backed off, but I was a bit shaken up - though I must admit, when he reached his friend on the other side of the square and they both looked back at me (I knew they would), I was ready, and quite clearly and openly flipped them the finger. I quickly gave in to rage and wished I'd said more to the wee bastard - even thinking about it now, days later, I get so mad! - and said it louder, too! It wasn't until later, at home, that I remembered the Hollaback UK campaign - shaming any man that gives you hassle on the street, or anywhere else for that matter. I had my phone in my hand, and with 3 quick clicks I could have had his photo plastered on the internet for anyone to see. I cannot believe that I forgot about this in the heat of the moment, and although I'm glad I stood up for myself, I still feel I could have said and done more. Like kick him in the nuts in my epic 4-inch heels.

Next time, I will not forget and any sexist bull-shit merchant that gives me hassle on the street will be plastered all over the web before he's even finished harrassing me.

Hollaback indeed, and don't take any crap!

Clara xx

Hollaback - Name And Shame!

Rae from GFN just posted a link to a BBC article, which I shamelessly stuck up on my own Facebook profile, too. It was about men abusing women in the street, and the Hollaback initiative that was set up for women who'd experienced this, to post on the website what happened and where, and also, if they like, to put a photo up of whoever did it.

This started in NYC but there's now a UK forum, too, you can find it here on blogspot, and similar ones are being set up in countries across the world. I think it's a really great idea, and even if you don't take a picture to upload, it's still nice to know that there are plenty of others out there experiencing the same thing as you, and it might help give you the courage to shout something back. The sisterhood of feminism, feel the love!

Some of the stories you read on the blog are quite scary - tales of women being followed by packs of men in cars; men following women in the street after their 'funny, sexy' comments were met with a grim BLANK; men sticking their hands up a woman's skirt in the street; people being groped on the train...

Some of the stories have a good ending, with the woman confronting the man and asking what the hell he thought he was doing, calling him a perv, or managing to take a photo of him, and these, at least, are quite uplifting and the theme there seems to be: as soon as you stand up for yourself and make a bit of noise the man becomes mortified, apolosgies and slinks off.

But the over-riding theme of these posts is fear. A woman being scared to continue the two blocks to her own flat after dropping off her friends; a woman being scared on the Tube after previously being assaulted; women feeling so embarrassed and angry that they just doesn't say anything.

The fear is, of course, totally justified. Whilst a lot of men, if confronted, look shame-faced and sidle off with their tail between their legs (no pun intended!), there are men who would become aggressive or even violent if a woman he'd just abused in the street dared shout something back.

While it's a good idea taking photos of men who shout at you or feel you up, imagine sticking your camera-phone in the face of an unknown man when you were on your own in the middle of Glasgow. Scary thought, isn't it? I wouldn't say that you shouldn't shout back, take a pic or even deliver a swift kick to the shins of anyone who degrades you like this in the street, but I would say 'know your enemy,' and watch out for your own safety above all else.

Recently when I was in the Tesco Express at Charing Cross, I bent over to get something off the bottom shelf, and stuck my be-jeaned bum in the air as I did so. Whilst I was bent over the security guard said to me, 'Alright hen, gonna give us a wee dance there?' And then walked on without a backwards glance. I was so shocked and taken aback that - yup, you guessed it - I didn't say anything back, much less take a photo.

But I'll tell you one thing, after reading these stories on HollabackUK...

I bloody well will next time!

Clara xx