Girl Up

nigello

Dear Laura, I’m a 60+-yr-old guy who’s just read your books “Everyday Sexism” (hence this visit to your site) and “Girl Up!”. I just wanted to thank you for both, Girl Up in particular, which is so witty, humane and salutary for everyone of any gender. I have worked at the UN, where some time ago a campaign to counter “everyday sexism” was launched – I believe your own work with the UN was instrumental in getting that under way? The campaign’s everyday presence takes the form of a slogan attached to email signatures or posted on office doors “I say NO to everyday sexism – what do you say?” (in French too, of course). Simple, but effective I think. I have never considered myself sexist, but even before I had read your books the campaign caused me to reflect on a “harmless” behaviour I had started to adopt in recent years, namely sometimes greeting women colleagues with “Ah, la bella [name]!”. I don’t believe it affected my basic respect for those colleagues, every one of whom is absolutely brilliant at her job and a great colleague. None of them reacted to my “friendly” greeting (well I didn’t do it all the time – in fact I also realize that I was quite selective about who to say it to) but when I thought about what “everyday sexism” might mean, I realized that that greeting was indeed an example. So I stopped. After reading your books I also realized that such behaviour actually sits on a continuum that can slide down ultimately to violence (or maybe we should call it “vilence”?) and rape. Thanks for all you are doing – it’s supremely important for men, boys, women and girls, and all others.