Toledo Tales

Guest editorial by Misty Mitchell, offended person on the street

Excuse me? What did you just say? "Hey, baby?"

Where do you get off thinking I am a streetwalking hooker, you perverted, knuckle-dragging asshole?

So you feel that women should be harassed because of their clothing? How would you like someone to arbitrarily label you, treat you like less of a person, and then dismiss you based on their interpretation of our clothes?

Street harassment is a form of sexual harassment that often takes place in public spaces. At its core is a power dynamic that constantly reminds historically subordinated groups (women and LGBT folks, for example) of their vulnerability to assault in public. Furthermore, it reinforces in a very disgusting manner the ubiquitous sexual objectification of these groups in everyday situations.

Humans communicate on very fine levels of body language and you KNOW very well you were invading my space. It is not about the words used, it is about the feeling of the encounter and the demeaning way in which you assumed I was a piece of meat for your negotiated pleasure.

Oh, so now you're "sorry?" I think not, dickwad.

Being harrassed everytime you leave your house is not acceptable. Just because we're supposedly the "fairer sex" doesn't mean women need to hear about it every two blocks. We are people with priorities, families, issues and aspirations, and have a right to walk without being harassed.

Today I wrote down the license number, model, and make of every car that stalked me --including the asshole in the light blue pickup truck who followed me for two blocks. You'd better pray nothing bad happens to me, because the police are going to find that list, and then you can explain to your wife or girlfriend why you are a person of interest in a sex crime.

A "blow job?" That's twenty bucks. Pull around and park in the alley. Money up front, asshole.

But don't forget - street harassment is a continuum of acts that hurts all women and maintains their second-class citizen status. Even crack whores like me.