It’s Halloween folks and it
October 31, 2014
Posted By: Shaunescy
It's not often that I rant. BUT I have one that is just bursting to get out.
Just yesterday, I wrote about feeling comfortable with my self-image . I said, “ I have wanted a picture of myself that I really like. And by that, I mean that I like it. It's not really necessary for me that other people do --although, that doesn't suck either.” And although yesterday I was feeling bold and brazen enough to share my own picture on Gum in Your Hair, I simply am feeling differently at the moment. Right now I am pissed off.
We’ve all seen the video about the girl walking through New York for 10 hours and all of the unwanted and unprovoked attention that she receives. It’s somewhat problematic as when they went into the editing room, that they edited out white guys doing the cat-calling (which in itself is a pretty odious term when you think about it), but that is a whole other topic that I feel way out of my depth addressing beyond noting that it’s crap.
An even more powerful video can be found here. http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/5ndnit/jessica-s-feminized-atmosphere Regardless of your politics, The Daily Show often has some really powerful things to say. Jessica's Feminized Atmosphere really gets down to it. This video is NSFW, but worth a watching.
When I watched the original video, I really felt it. It struck a chord and obviously did for so many others given how viral it’s become. And now that the rebuttal has started, I’m just sad. I think that it’s silly that there are ‘sides’ to this topic. Of course, some really misguided spin doctors are claiming that Feminism is blinded to the true nature of cat-calling. ‘Geez, lady! Get over yourself and accept a compliment.’
This morning at 8:30 am, while participating in my normal parking lot talk after dropping my school aged kids off. I was playing a little bit of soccer with a friend’s preschoolers the weirdest thing happened. 3 teenage boys – who looked like they were skipping school for the day started calling out to me and the other mom.
“Hey there. Hi. How are you doing?”
I kept chatting with my friend and didn’t respond because I don’t know these boys.
The boys walk with a swagger and a nod. You know the nod. The one where a young man cocks back his head as if making a positive appraisal of what he beholds. Almost like a challenge.
“Hey there. Hi!”
I gave in responded with a polite no-nonsense hello and focus my attention on my friend and the little kids as they pass. Keeping my peripheral attention tuned to the anomalously attentive band of strangers.
Not a super threatening situation, but really odd. Just completely out of context and it felt like a rebuttle to a cultural meme. And I am pissed off because it made me think about and work through so many of my own internal responses before I’d had a second cup of coffee. I mean, what the heck was that about. In what way is it polite for 3 young men to interrupt my friend and I, and to insist on a greeting?
And of course I'll simply let it go because it doesn't deserve to take up that much time in my day. But if you want to know the core issue of my frustration it is this. Unwanted attention doesn't deserve to take up any part of any person's day.
Jerks.
All my best, BunnyFufu ~ The Housewife
