Please note. . .

Don't Be Silent DC has been inactive since March 2008 and has not been accepting entries since. If you are in the DC area and have a harassment story to share, please go to HollaBack DC. If you are outside the DC area and want to submit your story, go to Stop Street Harassment. Thank you.


As of 3/1/08, I will no longer be working on this blog. Please read this post for more details.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Don't these clowns ever stop to take a breath?

I guess not. As thrilled as I was that harassment seemed to be dwindling down, I found out that these idiots are still up to their old tricks. An anonymous contributor sent me two instances of being harassed:

(1) My friends and I were going down the escalator at Eastern Market on our way home from work. One one annoying kid who was waiting for the bus tried to get my attention: "psst...psst. hey sexy! HEY SEXY!" I was just going to ignore him, but then I couldn't even CONCENTRATE on what my friend was saying. So then I turn to him (I'm still going down the escalator slowly) and tell him "Excuse me, you do NOT talk to me like that!" He gives a little shocked look and then says "Guurl, you WHITE! Baby, be black, be black!" This only makes me more mad that a man hears me defend myself and I speak proper English (God forbid). I proceed to yell at him as he laughs (clearly just trying to dismiss his rejection) how he needs to get some self-respect and thinking that speaking proper English equates being "white." I quickly realize the futility of the argument and proceed to flip him off before I step off the bottom of the stairs.

(2) A group of men were waiting for the bus near Eastern Market and I was walking with a bunch of other interns to a restaurant after work. I was in the middle of the group and one man proceeds to reach out his hand towards me. I hear a sultry "Hi friend, come here." I look up at him in horror as he TOUCHES me and I jerk away my hand. I say "Don't touch me; I'm not your fucking friend." His friends laugh and the rejected mimics me (poorly) "Don't touch me!" Oh, yes, that REALLY hurt *my* feelings. I was with a number of people (guys and girls) and I point the men out to my friends as we walk away. I loudly complained about them and made sure everyone turned out to stare. I noticed the men were pretty uncomfortable and were a bit worried about some consequences, so that made me feel a little bit better.

I just have to say that I love your blog. It's so good to know I'm not alone and the trends I've noticed aren't just with me. I am spending the summer in DC as an intern and I cannot WAIT to leave. I go to school in Boston and the harassment is no where near as bad as it is down here. I've actually limited my solo outings because I just can't deal with the degradation sometimes. Thank you so much for the site! It'll help me ''keep on keeping on'' for the remainder of my last week here.


I hope your last days in DC are harassment-free. I'm sorry that this is the behavior you had to deal with in the District.

I can relate to being made fun of by men like the ones featured in that same manner with the "you think you[sic] White!" and the obnoxious mocking. You're right...these clowns know they're not worth SHIT and by stooping to that level that's their way of making themselves feel good. They know good and well that a second ago you were their greatest fantasy, and since it didn't come true you became their biggest nightmare and an object of their disdain.

The behavior of losers like these does not (I repeat, DOES NOT) reflect on you in any way. Good for you for pointing out publicly how much these men sucked, so others could see it as well. They needed to be embarrassed.

1 comment:

an orange county girl said...

it sucks that the writer of this story can't wait to leave DC. as much as i hate the weather here (especially this week), DC is actually a great city. please don't let some stupid guys ruin the DC experience for you! that's giving them way too much power.