“ As a young woman, I was certainly the least intimidating creature on the planet, and as such I was prey to unwanted attention from men, attention that ranged from annoying to truly scary. I know there are people who dismiss the idea that such attention is upsetting—after all, isn’t it flattering that strangers think you’re attractive? But it goes far, far beyond that. It was endless and exhausting and I don’t think it has a thing to do with how pretty you are. In fact I often felt the comments would come fast and furious on the days I felt particularly bad about myself, like I was giving off signals or hormones, like they could smell my weakness.
It’s not flattering when 40 and 50 year old men honk, hoot, and whistle from their trucks at 11 year old girls walking home from the bus stop. It’s fucking disgusting.
It’s not flattering when a 12 year old boy holds an 11 year old girls arms back so another 12 year old boy can force a kiss on the girl, after the 2 boys follow the girl home from her bus stop. I guess when she said no to his repeated requests for hugs, this seemed logical?!
Parenting self assured girls is tough. Especially since I can’t, at all, ever, explain the behavior of those assholes.
(Source: finslippy.com, via hillbillyplease)