Well everyone, summer is upon us! Sunshine and warm weather for months. It's enough to make the grumpy old woman next door jump for joy. I can smell my mom's tanning oil already. Would you like to know something else I'm experiencing already? Grown men acting inappropriately on the street. Yes, this is a good old Call-Out article.
I finally realized the warm weather was upon us when men old enough to be my father were saying some pretty inappropriate things to me on my way to work; things that I can't exactly say on this site. Allow me to emphasize that I was walking to work, meaning I had to be dressed appropriately. So before anyone says "just cover up a bit more," I want to put it out there that I was wearing loose jeans, like full-length pants that accentuated nothing, and a tank top so I didn't die from heat exhaustion. It honestly irritates me beyond belief that I actually have to say that someone's clothing should not determine whether or not they deserve street harassment, but I digress.
Now walking a little over a mile isn't too horrendous when I'm left alone, and I don't have to deal with people being obnoxious. I actually enjoy the commute, I get some exercise and I can clear my head first thing in the morning. Imagine my surprise when suddenly car horns are beeping more often. Initial reaction: driver is probably trying to wake up a little and a good jolt from the loud noise is their trick, to each their own. However, when I start noticing grown men with grey hair, probably in their 40s and 50s, staring while I'm walking, I get a bit uneasy. However, I still brush it off as they want to look at the trees or they think the sky is lovely this morning. Then the yelling starts. I can't just brush it off anymore. The fact that I walk through some pretty sketchy areas makes me pretty uneasy, to say the least. I also happen to work in the service industry; I have to be pleasant or I can risk losing my job. Dealing with creepy old men is not something I would like to deal with first thing in the morning.
It's also worth mentioning that I'm not the only person going through this. Many people of all ages, sizes, and clothing choices are subjected to this treatment. Street harassment is becoming a grossly widespread epidemic, and the more we fight against it, the worse it gets. Many people feel as though they are fighting a battle they're guaranteed to lose. I guess what I'm trying to say is please respect your fellow human beings. No one wants their day interrupted by obnoxious comments. Especially if you're old enough to be their parent, or even worse -- their grandparent. These are living, breathing people. If you wouldn't say it to your grandmother then don't say it to someone on the street.
