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Ying Yue

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I was sitting in my Computer Science class logging onto my computer when I heard some boys making sexist comments about how “women should stay in the kitchen” and “if ahything has gone wrong within a home, the wife will be behind it”. naturally, I was upset by these comments but chose not to say anything since I was the minority (there were about two females in the room at the time). What made it worse was when a guy I knew relatively well started openly slagging women off in front of me, knowing my views on feminism and how women should be treated – equally. I didn’t know what to do, but I decided to challenge him. He began saying even worse things to all the girls in the room. Finally, the most horrible thing happened. My friend – a girl I’d know for about five years – began to laugh and agree with him, saying things such as: “Oh, good one!” (referring to his joke) and other such comments. I got so upset that I ran from the classroom at the end of the lesson. I know that this situation wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been, but I’m just so fed up of people thinking that it’s funny to slander women, and for others to agree just because they’d get retribution if they didn’t. Sometimes, I feel like I have no voice, and even if I do, people forget what I’ve said and reverted to their old ways. I’m just…tired. So done with their crap. – Ying Yue, teenager

Angelika

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I just watched Laurs’s TED talk. Really inspiring and in a way terrible. Terrible is that men are doing this, that people don’t look out for each other. I remembered when I was no more than 17 years old I was coming back home from basketball court with a ball under my arm and had older boys sitting a good few miles from me scream: Ouuu so you can play can you? (in a tone suggesting that as a girl I couldn’t, OBVIOUSLY) so without looking I replied: ‘No, I just carry the ball around for company’, for some reason I did not hear any reply to this. I know it is not as serious but it really made me feel bad, it’s kind of everyday sexist I would like to dissapear. I am just absolutely SICK with the fact that just becasuse you are born a woman you are expected to put up with men’s behaviour! That I have to be careful walking back home at night, or after playing non-girly sport! Of course there are also good man and bad woman out there but let’s face it, it is no 50/50 kind of situation. To not absolutely demolish man I would like to thank one guy I met today. I was walking my friend back home, just before midnight to her flat from the university. I was worried about her and althought I live in completely different direction I had a bike with me, so I could go back easier and quicker than her with probably less risk of attack. Road to her flat is poorly lit and there are lots of bushes and trees around, plus it is also a path used by cars. One car was coming towards us and beause I put my bag in the front basket of my bike my front light was not very visable so I raised my arm so ithe driver would know we are here. The car stopped right next to us. I was scared. A single guy in the car rolled down the window. Not good I thought. But then he asked: are you ok? I thought he is trying to pick on us, while walking I replied: yes, everything is fine. ‘But you are not in any trouble are you?’ he replied. Then I realized he just wanted to check if I was not waving at him for help. I regret I did not thank him properly. Thank you!