Alright boys, this one is for you. I'm mad. It is 2016, and some of your fellow adult men still think it is their job to tell women to smile.
Yesterday, a man behind me in line at the gas station told me to smile more. I ignored him. It happens pretty frequently (#restingbitchfaceprobs), and I didn't feel like dealing with it. He then followed that up with "It takes more muscles to frown than it does to just f***ing smile."
I am allowed to frown, or have whatever emotion I please. I am a human being. My existence is just that, mine. I really don't understand what is so hard to comprehend about that. It's not hard to stay in your lane.
1. The worst part about this situation is that I know I'm not alone.
Women everywhere are facing these sorts of situations on a daily basis and it is just not fair. One statistic reports that 65 percent of all women have been verbally harassed walking down the street. Also reported, 23 percent of those women have been touched or grabbed in those situations. Women are being yelled at and degraded while just trying to live their lives
2. Fun fact: We don't live for you.
We have our own agendas, and I can assure you, Mr.WhistlesAlot, that it does not include you, or your pleasure. It's cool to think, "Wow, that girl is beautiful," but you do not need to jog up to us on the sidewalk two blocks after your initial comment, to strike up some conversation that starts with "Hey, baby,"and asks where we are going.
3. You won't get our numbers, you'll just make us scared.
We'll be looking over our shoulders for the rest of the day, just to make sure you aren't there. Do you understand what that feels like? How truly terrifying it is to not feel safe walking down the street, or up the aisles at the grocery store?! Stop. It.
4. If you wouldn't want it said (or done) to your mother, then don't say it to us.
Or your sister, or daughter, or anyone. It's simple. Don't call out rude remarks to us on the street, don't follow us, and for the love of God do not tell us to smile.