The Harassment Monologues: Please Don’t See Me

Written by: Teofilia A. on April 3, 2011.
Last revised by: Dash on September 26, 2011.

My thoughts on my way to class. New York, New York

Location: 11th Street, NYC

Why are you embarrassing me? I truly and honestly do not know you, so what have I done to deserve this demeaning banter…. everyone is looking at me now.

Scum #1: Chocolate!… Chocolate!…sexy…God bless you baby

…WAIT WHAT?? YOU BROUGHT GOD INTO THIS??

I thought I was a decent, somewhat respectable young lady; I try my best to present that. More importantly I am minding my own business, when I want to talk to you , you will know….The likes of you, yelling out at me…

Scum# 2: “You think you too good for me?”

Ummmm no ….actually I’m just trying to do as everyone else here, walk to my destination. What did I do to warrant your attention? Who or what goes through this type of harassment? Dogs? Nope. Rats? Not at all…prostitutes? Maybe, but I’m pretty sure that is not my forte today. I’m just walking to class, and you are trying to see through my shapeless boyfriend jeans that I strategically put on so you wouldn’t look at me the way you gawked at me yesterday. Don’t crack a smile…completely ignore him. He cannot possibly be speaking to me. If you don’t show any emotion, he will eventually go away…. Okay maybe not….

Me: I’m very sorry; I’m taken

Scum #3: Can I have your number.

Me: I have children and a husband.

Scum #3: Can I have your number.

Me: I’m not from this country; I live abroad actually, just visiting.

Scum #3: Can I have your number.

Me: Please leave me alone sir (Oh how the tables have turned. I’m begging him now and I look totally desperate and miserable, so he can see the pain he is causing)

Scum #3: Damn shorty. can I have your number.

Oh my God, see…now… I really just…

Me: @#@$$ GET THE #$% AWAY!!! LEAVE ME THE @#$% ALONE!!!! UGHHH!!!!!!!! WHYYY ARE YOU DOING THIS!!!!!??

Scum #3 and his friend: Damn it’s not that serious…

Location: 12th street

YES!…I made it to the very next block

I’m trying my very best to keep my curves suppressed. I do it very well actually; I have been wearing an extra pair of tights/ spandex/a sports bra since I started to mature. I’m trying to slip your view. I’m trying my very best to dodge and ignore your whispers, that is by the way, extremely too close to my ear, your mouth noises, your deliberate attempts to get my attention with your eyes. I DON’T WANT TO LOOK INTO YOUR EYES!!

Scum #4: Oh, damn girl, mmm, shh, o… AHH, eee

What kind of nasty? Ugh actually, never mind. I’m speechless, I’ll just continue to surf through the noises. You know…I’m not even sure if I’m pretty anymore, you only look at me from the back, after I’ve passed

Scum #5: What, I can’t look??? *laughs*

Me: NO YOU CANNOT LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION…YES, LOOKING IS HARASSMENT…I FEEL DISGUSTING NOW!! And I caught you looking at that 13-year-old girl there. You have gray hair sir.

Location: 13th street

This is exhausting…

Scum #6: Smile…. it can’t be that bad.

Share your personal street harassment stories in our Venus Genus series ‘The Harassment Monologues.’ Submit your story. It will be shared throughout this ongoing series and global to safe public spaces. Spread the to end this appalling phenomenon. Enough is enough.