Under lockdown, my partner and I go to the park once a day to exercise. We were doing martial arts drills, until a nun walking past screamed: “How dare you do that to a woman? A woman’s body belongs to God!” It escalated into her asking: “Are you two even British? Go back to our own country!” The experience was insulting, shocking, and traumatising, and was the first time I experienced such a flagrant attack from another woman.
Just read a news article (BBC News 10/7/2019) about a medical doctor who was told to “cover up” by American Airlines and wasn’t allowed on the plane until she wore a BLANKET to cover her outfit. There was nothing offensive about her clothing at all, she was wearing a playsuit which wasn’t even very short. The airline apologised but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. The Dr involved believes she was targeted for her race and her body type, which is really unacceptable.
A couple days ago I wore an outfit I felt really cute in. It was a black, long sleeved Japanese school girl uniform with a cute red bow, black and white lace stockings covered with a leather jacket. Yesterday my mom saw a photo of my outfit and said word for word “If you wear that you’re asking to be raped.”
My housemate went to a quiz night, he’s just walked in and said – ” We won the quiz and we had a shit hot name – ‘Quiz on my face and tell me I’m pretty’. “
My housemate (he’s 24 years old, I’m 32) – “Women should never shave any part of their heads, it’s a big turn off for a man. So if you do it, just so you know – I’ll hate it!” I did it – I fucking love it! : ) MY HEAD, MY HAIR He also added, “Women should never have tattoos on their arms or any part of their body that are obvious.” I have a tattoo on my wrist, my shoulder and my pelvis. And just for you, Adam – I’ll soon get a whole sleeve of tattoos, on MY BODY
Everyday at school I’m subject to rude looks by boys. That’s because they claim I have “big tits.” Furthermore, ever since Trump won the presidency, they keep on telling me they want to “grab me by the pussy.” I must admit, my breasts are quite large, but boys have no right to catcall me in such a degrading manner. I mean, who would they feel if I said I’d “grab them by the dick.” That’s why the world must come together to end the horrible misogynistic, sexist, and racist society that has plagued our downhill country today.
I once saw a sexist idiot saying that feminism is an excuse for women to feel important and that statistics showing sexism are wrong. His reasoning? That the gender ratio in politics and science is because women don’t WANT to work in those areas. Gee, it’s not like girls are discouraged from those jobs by media from the moment they were born or anything! Another story: A female friend of mine is Asian (important) and have a six-pack because she works out. Once she wore a short top and we were in the park. This guy who is a complete stranger passes by and says something along the lines of: “Holy F***. Are you sure you’re a woman?” She gave him the finger but he just laughs and says that he thought Asian chicks are supposed to be submissive and sexy. Yet people say that equality has been achieved in modern society.
Late in July 2015, I attended a two-day workshop where our team of all-women managers was briefed by the all-men directors of the private sector company at which I work. At the conclusion of day one, everyone met up at the restaurant for dinner, sitting together and enjoying good food, great wine and light conversation. My colleague and I, both in our 40s, were seated directly across the table from 2 of the 4 male directors. The 2 of us had been chatting about participating in a martial arts class (her) and pilates (me), and were agreeing how staying active and getting fit contributed to a sense of well-being. One of the directors chose that moment to join the conversation, asking a couple of questions, before proceeding to describe a recent trip he’d made to watch tennis at Wimbledon, including the women’s and men’s singles finals. He then retrieved his smartphone in order to show to the director seated next to him and us the photographs he’d taken of Serena Williams, who had just won the title. His exact words were: “Look at her arse! She’s got the biggest arse ever. I have never seen an arse so massive!” For several minutes as they scrolled through the dozen or so photographs, and passed judgement not on Serena Williams’ sporting achievements and skills, but her body. They did this in front of a table of educated, hardworking women who they employ. I am disgusted with myself that I didn’t say something clever or jump up and quit on the spot. They behaved as they did because we had been “uppity women” who had forgotten our places, had forgotten that in their world it is men, not women, who get to decide what makes us happy, well, successful. And they had adopted a strategy of belittling a successful, powerful, skillful woman of colour to remind all of us of our places. Nearly one year on, this incident enrages and shames me still.
The experience I’m writing about is not only sexism, but racism as well. When I was walking in the halls of my high school right after school had ended, a group of three passed by me when I turned a corner – two boys and one girl, all white. I was by myself and minding my own business, so I was caught off guard when one boy abruptly rose his hand and yelled out “hey!”. It was so instantaneous and so sudden – it all happened within a second, not enough reaction time. I didn’t know them so I just kept walking, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. But then I heard him laugh and say almost immediately to his friend and girlfriend (I’m assuming, since they were holding hands) – “See? Asian girls are always so mad and quiet.” I was fuming at his words but I kept walking. To this day I wish I confronted him and told him “See? White boys are always so cocky and ignorant”, not that he would understand, but still.
The experience I’m writing about is not only sexism, but racism as well. When I was walking in the halls of my high school right after school had ended, a group of three passed by me when I turned a corner – two boys and one girl, all white. I was by myself and minding my own business, so I was caught off guard when one boy abruptly rose his hand and yelled out “hey!”. It was so instantaneous and so sudden – it all happened within a second, not enough reaction time. I didn’t know them so I just kept walking, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. But then I heard him laugh and say almost immediately to his friend and girlfriend (I’m assuming, since they were holding hands) – “See? Asian girls are always so mad and quiet.” I was fuming at his words but I kept walking. To this day I wish I confronted him and told him “See? White boys are always so cocky and ignorant”, not that he would understand, but still.