I borrowed this quote from My Rape Schedule which I would HIGHLY suggest reading because it's just so completely true. It's also quite ironic as I just had a conversation about this today with a boy who insisted that "god gave men dicks and they love girls and it's hard to control. Girls don't get horny a lot" As a girl who gets horny, I can assure you that it is, actually, quite easy to control. The point though, is that I agree so wholeheartedly with this article. I myself have had to make alternative routes just so I wouldn't get harassed all the way to work. I remember going into the store I was working at, crying because I was just so tired of hearing these sexual things about my body ALL the time. The new route I was taking had me walking up GIANT hills instead of just walking up a normal street like everyone else. All this to avoid having my body sexualized as it has been since I was just a tiny kid.
It's hard to even imagine the way I would see the world if this wasn't the case. It's hard to imagine how less afraid I would be of going outside alone as I still have this fear deeply embedded. Every time a male passes me on the street I get the same feeling, my heart starts beating faster, I hold my breath, my body is completely tense, and I am just waiting to hear what they have to say. What is their opinion of my body. I find myself staring at the ground constantly when there are so many other amazing things to see. It's a sad thing to feel this discomfort in your own skin that has nothing to do with your opinion of yourself really. It's so disappointing that people assume your body's value is something as simple as tits and ass. What about the curve of my hips that allows things to be carried so much easier? What about my strong arms that can turn my car around even WITHOUT power steering (it's hard, let me tell you..), What about my belly button that goes on FOREVER it seems? What about these sticky outtie ears? These tiny wrists? These constant hang nails? These freckles, and tiny hairs? What about these legs that pump furiously to go faster on my bike? These ankles that keep me steady on my roller skates? What about my intuition that allows me to know exactly what to do in times of need? What about those things? Those are the things I find value in. As for his opinion, this brain and these ears could care less.
(some of this is actually an excerpt from my zine. It went along swimmingly with what I was trying to say.)
