I was just coming back to college and shopping for necessary things to start my semester off right. This happened over a week ago, and I still don't even know where to begin. I honestly should have tackled you to the ground in Walmart for the way you spoke to me, asking such an insulting question. I am instead using you as the example for all the men just like you, who think they can look at women and see them as a toy or nothing other than eye candy.

Honestly, "men" like you are disgusting. You all think that you have some sort of magic power over women that forces us to stay, and in some instances you can be seen as so convincing. Despite this, the belittlement and fear you make us feel, in public or private places, is simply outrageous.

I'm going to take a moment to harp on how you make us feel. When we are asked such degrading questions synonymous to yours, initially we're just like... what? But not "what?" like you need to repeat it, "what?" as in did you seriously just say that to me?! The wishy-washy feelings that consume our stomachs can be borderline unbearable, and it makes us really questions ourselves. It makes us question the clothes we wear. I was wearing leggings with a baggy sweatshirt, also known as the typical lazy college girl's attire. It makes us question if what we are wearing is too revealing, even though all of our extremities are covered. Even deeper, it forces us to question our plethora of insecurities. Thank you for giving me confirmation of my mirror's worst nightmare that indeed my butt is too big and I have no thigh gap. That catcall you gave me (that was incredibly not due to my provocativeness) gave me that assurance from you that I never asked for.

Y'all wonder why some of us are so fragile, overly sensitive, or easily discouraged. You wonder why we stop fighting you and give you permission to say and do whatever you want. It's because you give us no choice. When you feel the threat of us fighting back or running from the situation, you turn on the charm that melts our hearts so we stay at the servant status, allowing you to walk all over us and do what you ask of us.

Is it a guy thing? Is every guy like this? No. But it's honestly disheartening when "men" like this come along. We are always looking for that different guy. The one who's charm isn't corny, has the sense of adventure that fits us, and makes us better women.

I DO think that this is a pride thing. Y'all think that you have to achieve this alpha-male status to be successful and happy with your life. Honestly, no. This is not the case and some find this unattractive.

But to all the women out there dealing with these kinds of "men," whether it's a passerby in the store or an abusive relationship, don't forget that you are human too. You have the power to change the world. Look at some of our most revered women: Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Nancy Reagan, and most recently Michelle Obama. These women took their stereotypical minority stance, flipped it, and ended up leaving a mark on our nation's history. We as women are still seen as the minority whether we want to believe it or not, but we have the power to change that. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." You can say no to "men" like this, you can escape, and, most importantly, you have the power to live your life fully and happily. There shouldn't be any reason in this world to feel belittled by other humans.

Unfortunately, there are people in this world that just don't seem to get that. They think they have to play mind games to make us feel inferior, use their muscles to force us to stay, or catcall for us to gravitate back to them. They make us feel obligated to apologize for standing up for ourselves and our beliefs. And that's just preposterous.

I am a strong woman, and you should at least have the decency to treat me as such. So, to the "man" in Walmart and every male like you: grow up.