Date: 5 and 6 April 2011
Time: about 9pm both days
Wearing: Jacket and trousers
Location: South London street
On both of these occasions I was walking along, minding my own business, when men passing by muttered some fairly rude and intimidating things under their breath. When it's whispered, it's hardly a compliment, surely? If it's whispered so that only you can hear it, on a dark street, when there's no-one else around, it's got to be about intimidation. No guys, I do NOT feel flattered by these:
1. Guy passes me by and whispers "slag" - no, I did not mishear him and no, there's no reason I can think of why he would possibly get that impression from me as he walked past.
2. Older man sees me coming and begins to say "phwoar, baby, sexy lady". Again, a dark night and a whispered comment does not make me feel complimented.
PLEASE STOP IT!
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Tuesday 15 March 2011
Whistle
Time: Midday
Location: Barkingside
Outfit: Coat
Whistle from a guy in a car going round a roundabout - ooh and I feel so flattered!
Location: Barkingside
Outfit: Coat
Whistle from a guy in a car going round a roundabout - ooh and I feel so flattered!
Wednesday 9 March 2011
Attention at work?
Time: During the day
Date: Tuesday 8 March
Place: Work
Outfit: Knee length black dress, flat shoes, purple cardigan
It's particularly uncomfortable to get unwanted male attention at work, especially when it's from men who are more senior than you. One of us has had a couple of experiences this week:
I got wacked on the arm ‘playfully’ by someone who’s been very ‘converstational‘ with me/ following me round the office and taking every single opportunity to talk to me. I once had a kit kat on my desk, he came over and said, “I see you’re eating kit kats. That’s good.” He’s in a position of authority and knows I need his help/ guidance.
I got squeezed on my upper arm by a colleague who tried to make me jump by standing behind me… odd behaviour.
I don't think they realise how they are making me feel, but surely it should be obvious that these kinds of things are a bit inappropriate in the office?
Date: Tuesday 8 March
Place: Work
Outfit: Knee length black dress, flat shoes, purple cardigan
It's particularly uncomfortable to get unwanted male attention at work, especially when it's from men who are more senior than you. One of us has had a couple of experiences this week:
I got wacked on the arm ‘playfully’ by someone who’s been very ‘converstational‘ with me/ following me round the office and taking every single opportunity to talk to me. I once had a kit kat on my desk, he came over and said, “I see you’re eating kit kats. That’s good.” He’s in a position of authority and knows I need his help/ guidance.
I got squeezed on my upper arm by a colleague who tried to make me jump by standing behind me… odd behaviour.
Sunday 6 March 2011
Slimy
Time: Midnight
Date: Saturday 5th March
Outfit: Coats
Place: Street
Walking home and pass a group of three men. One of them turns as we walk past, looks us up and down and leers "alright luv"
Eugh. And very intimidating if it had been one of us on our own.
Date: Saturday 5th March
Outfit: Coats
Place: Street
Walking home and pass a group of three men. One of them turns as we walk past, looks us up and down and leers "alright luv"
Eugh. And very intimidating if it had been one of us on our own.
Shoe Fetish
Time: Midnight
Date: Friday 4 March
Outfit: Jeans, shirt and purple high heels
Location: Big Chill (club), Kings Cross
This week had been relatively quiet (minus a number of clicks and whistles, from different men on different occasions - why do they think that is attractive?). Quiet, that is, until Friday night.
One of us was out clubbing in Kings Cross. A man waved at me from across the room, but I ignored it. Later, when I went to the toilet, he was waiting there for me. He grabbed my hand, kissed me and asked me my name - slightly weird, but I told him and then asked if he would mind letting me go to the loo. With a bit of trepidation, I left the ladies after I was done and, lo and behold, he was still there waiting for me. He grabbed my hand again and asked if I had a boyfriend. I said yes - not true, but it seemed like the only way of getting rid of him. He sighed a little, but handed me a pre-prepared note and asked me to read it later.
I popped it in my back pocket, thinking that I would just try and get away as quickly as possible, to rejoin my friends and continue having fun. I completely forgot about the note.
Later on (he's persistent isn't he?) he came over to me again to get my reaction on the note. I admitted that I hadn't read it and he simply said "well, I'd love to buy some shoes for you sometime. Let me know if you want to go shopping".
After he left I looked at his note which read: "Edward, ***mobile number***, I love your shoes" and, on the other side "Shopping together?"
Very, very strange approach. And not remotely attractive. Slightly concerning how interested he was in shoes...
Date: Friday 4 March
Outfit: Jeans, shirt and purple high heels
Location: Big Chill (club), Kings Cross
This week had been relatively quiet (minus a number of clicks and whistles, from different men on different occasions - why do they think that is attractive?). Quiet, that is, until Friday night.
One of us was out clubbing in Kings Cross. A man waved at me from across the room, but I ignored it. Later, when I went to the toilet, he was waiting there for me. He grabbed my hand, kissed me and asked me my name - slightly weird, but I told him and then asked if he would mind letting me go to the loo. With a bit of trepidation, I left the ladies after I was done and, lo and behold, he was still there waiting for me. He grabbed my hand again and asked if I had a boyfriend. I said yes - not true, but it seemed like the only way of getting rid of him. He sighed a little, but handed me a pre-prepared note and asked me to read it later.
I popped it in my back pocket, thinking that I would just try and get away as quickly as possible, to rejoin my friends and continue having fun. I completely forgot about the note.
Later on (he's persistent isn't he?) he came over to me again to get my reaction on the note. I admitted that I hadn't read it and he simply said "well, I'd love to buy some shoes for you sometime. Let me know if you want to go shopping".
After he left I looked at his note which read: "Edward, ***mobile number***, I love your shoes" and, on the other side "Shopping together?"
Very, very strange approach. And not remotely attractive. Slightly concerning how interested he was in shoes...
Saturday 26 February 2011
Hamstrings don't tug on my heart-strings
Time: 3pm
Date: Friday 25 February 2011
Outfit: Knee-length skirt and shirt
Place: In the office
You would think that sex-pests might reserve their special behaviour for leisure-time - apparently not. I'm walking through the office, laptop in arm, making my way back to my desk, post-meeting. A man literally springs up in front of me. I have no idea who he is. "Don't worry", he says "I'll go to your desk". Before I have time to react, he's following me. I'm frantically scanning my mental records to try and place him ... did we go to a social together? Is he the IT technician? "I'm Sam", he declares proudly, "I joined 6 weeks ago, I used to be an athlete. Track and field." "Umhmm" "Yeah. I have this weird thing with my hamstrings - LOOK." He is wearing pretty tight chinos and props his leg up on a stool to show me his tensed muscles. The material twitches as he performs his party trick. It occurs to me how odd this looks, the new guy in the office, apparently putting his crotch in my face."Um, yeah...that's...weird. Cool! So anyway, was good to meet you, Sam. I'd better get on...". The pride shines from his face as he retreats. I have a feeling this won't be the last time that this new guy asks 'Your desk or mine?'
Date: Friday 25 February 2011
Outfit: Knee-length skirt and shirt
Place: In the office
You would think that sex-pests might reserve their special behaviour for leisure-time - apparently not. I'm walking through the office, laptop in arm, making my way back to my desk, post-meeting. A man literally springs up in front of me. I have no idea who he is. "Don't worry", he says "I'll go to your desk". Before I have time to react, he's following me. I'm frantically scanning my mental records to try and place him ... did we go to a social together? Is he the IT technician? "I'm Sam", he declares proudly, "I joined 6 weeks ago, I used to be an athlete. Track and field." "Umhmm" "Yeah. I have this weird thing with my hamstrings - LOOK." He is wearing pretty tight chinos and props his leg up on a stool to show me his tensed muscles. The material twitches as he performs his party trick. It occurs to me how odd this looks, the new guy in the office, apparently putting his crotch in my face."Um, yeah...that's...weird. Cool! So anyway, was good to meet you, Sam. I'd better get on...". The pride shines from his face as he retreats. I have a feeling this won't be the last time that this new guy asks 'Your desk or mine?'
Baking tray my ass...
Time: 2am
Date: 25 February 2011
Outfit: Cocktail dresses, with coats on
Place: On the N2 bus, London
Returning from a night out, we're on the night bus and are almost home. I'm carrying a big bag of stuff, left over from staying over at a friends, and in my bag I've got some baking trays - not exactly practical!
Anyway, we dinged the bell because we were coming up to our stop and get ourselves down from the top deck so that we're ready to get off. There are some other guys getting off at the same time, but we don't really notice them because we're chatting and laughing about the night we've had.
As the bus stops and we go to get off, one of the men (a youngish guy, about 25) moves in between me and my friend, and I see him very obviously reach over, lift up her skirt and grab and pinch her ass as she steps off the bus. My instinctive reaction is disgust and I swing my bag forward, wacking him in the ass with my baking trays while saying "don't do that to my friend!"
He looks around, surprised, as my friends drag me away - worried about the chances of me beating this guy over the head with my trays. But is it really ok to grab a girl's ass getting of the bus? She definitely didn't ask for that!
Date: 25 February 2011
Outfit: Cocktail dresses, with coats on
Place: On the N2 bus, London
Returning from a night out, we're on the night bus and are almost home. I'm carrying a big bag of stuff, left over from staying over at a friends, and in my bag I've got some baking trays - not exactly practical!
Anyway, we dinged the bell because we were coming up to our stop and get ourselves down from the top deck so that we're ready to get off. There are some other guys getting off at the same time, but we don't really notice them because we're chatting and laughing about the night we've had.
As the bus stops and we go to get off, one of the men (a youngish guy, about 25) moves in between me and my friend, and I see him very obviously reach over, lift up her skirt and grab and pinch her ass as she steps off the bus. My instinctive reaction is disgust and I swing my bag forward, wacking him in the ass with my baking trays while saying "don't do that to my friend!"
He looks around, surprised, as my friends drag me away - worried about the chances of me beating this guy over the head with my trays. But is it really ok to grab a girl's ass getting of the bus? She definitely didn't ask for that!
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