jacket - Highway Jeans/Sears
cardi - Nicole by Nicole Miller/JCP
striped skirt - Old Navy
sandals - Prabal Gurung for Target
nailpolish - Sinful Colors "Pink"
The other day I was walking to the grocery store around the corner with the BB (that's Bang-Butler, in case you weren't aware) and a man yelled from a car, what sounded like, "I want to see your tits!" It was either tits or dick, but either way - ummmm... inappropriate. I don't experience street harassment on a regular basis, but even the slightest bit of it is a little unnerving. What makes people (mostly men - let's be honest) think it's OK to do this? This article brings up a few reasons.
A few days later, I stopped by the Cobbler to get some info about my busted boots and as I was leaving, he said, "Oh and also, I think you're very sexy... You have a sex appeal about you". I said thank you. As a feminist, should I have been offended? What's the difference between this and catcalls a/k/a street harassment? Do my wavering struggles with low self-esteem play into my reaction and feelings of flattery? Probably. I don't have the media-driven, typical "sexy" body (i.e. skinny, toned, etc.), so it's not everyday that I'm "complimented" in this way or treated as such. (I do admit, I benefit a bit from "hourglass privilege" or "curvy privilege". Just throwing that out there.)
I'm always thinking about how we perceive ourselves vs. how others perceive us. Sometimes I think I'm pretty damn sexy, but I have 0 clue how others perceive me. Do they think I'm cute? Weird? Annoying? (OK, the last two are almost definite yeses.) It's always interested to get an outside perspective on how you come across to... um, outsiders.
I also think the difference has something to do with delivery. Catcalls and street harassment are more about power and dominance. I got a sense the comment was more like a BTW, just-so-you-know. It also helped that it wasn't shouted at me from a moving vehicle.
What do you think? Have you experienced either scenario and what feelings did it evoke in you?
nailpolish - Sinful Colors "Pink"
The other day I was walking to the grocery store around the corner with the BB (that's Bang-Butler, in case you weren't aware) and a man yelled from a car, what sounded like, "I want to see your tits!" It was either tits or dick, but either way - ummmm... inappropriate. I don't experience street harassment on a regular basis, but even the slightest bit of it is a little unnerving. What makes people (mostly men - let's be honest) think it's OK to do this? This article brings up a few reasons.
A few days later, I stopped by the Cobbler to get some info about my busted boots and as I was leaving, he said, "Oh and also, I think you're very sexy... You have a sex appeal about you". I said thank you. As a feminist, should I have been offended? What's the difference between this and catcalls a/k/a street harassment? Do my wavering struggles with low self-esteem play into my reaction and feelings of flattery? Probably. I don't have the media-driven, typical "sexy" body (i.e. skinny, toned, etc.), so it's not everyday that I'm "complimented" in this way or treated as such. (I do admit, I benefit a bit from "hourglass privilege" or "curvy privilege". Just throwing that out there.)
I'm always thinking about how we perceive ourselves vs. how others perceive us. Sometimes I think I'm pretty damn sexy, but I have 0 clue how others perceive me. Do they think I'm cute? Weird? Annoying? (OK, the last two are almost definite yeses.) It's always interested to get an outside perspective on how you come across to... um, outsiders.
I also think the difference has something to do with delivery. Catcalls and street harassment are more about power and dominance. I got a sense the comment was more like a BTW, just-so-you-know. It also helped that it wasn't shouted at me from a moving vehicle.
What do you think? Have you experienced either scenario and what feelings did it evoke in you?
