He’s not, really. I mostly feel sorry for him. He lives in a place of deep unhappiness.

Because I’m living there rent-free at the moment and until I can afford to spring myself from that situation, I need to keep my mouth shut.

Stories like this are what make me so mad when my father complains that “you can’t even compliment a woman now without her crying sexual harassment.”

which is why during my customer service/retail years I ALWAYS wore an “engagement” ring to work... it was fake (sterling silver, and glass stones)... but at a glance it marked me as someone else’s and about 80% of the creeps would back off... that other 20 took it as a challenge.

I get so mad about “sorry, I’m taken” being the only safe response. Honestly, whether I’m attached or not is completely irrelevant if I’m not interested in you. But, I have single girlfriends who wear fake engagement rings on occasion, because it’s easier and safer than saying “no thanks”.

Exactly. When I was single, I tried the “soft ignore”, where you pretend like the bar is too loud for you realize that some guy is up in your face; I tried “Sorry, I’m just out with the girls tonight! No boys allowed! Haha!”; I tried “I’m not interested!” a few times which was a disaster so I retired it. Nothing…

This is what enrages me. The only seemingly acceptable answer to the assholes that do this is a response that is along the lines of “I’m sorry, I’m seeing someone.” It’s like if no other man has staked his claim, pissed on your leg, or somehow indicated that you’re his property, then you MUST be open and accepting of…

I caught myself telling my boyfriend that I was “lucky” to go through 4 years of university without being sexually assaulted.

My ex once called me after getting out of an elevator, he was upset that the woman inside of it had hugged the wall the entire time and had rushed out when it reached her floor. He couldn’t understand why, because all he had said was "Hello" It took a long time for it to get through to him that it didn't matter that…

I recall telling a male friend once that every woman in my life has been attacked, raped, or physically abused at some point in their life, and that I felt lucky that the worst that has ever happened to me was being stalked and harassed on the street. He was horrified both by what I said about the women in my life and…

As street harassment awareness has become more common, my husband (also a feminist) and I have talked about it a lot and in so doing I’ve shared a whole bunch of stories. He is horrified by them and asks “Wait, this happened when I knew you? Why did you never tell me about this?” I was like “This is just normal; more…

I met a guy at a party recently. He kept striking up a conversation with me even though it was clear (to me) that I wasn’t interested. At first, he said “wow - you’re a tough nut to crack!”, then “you seem so reserved - it must be difficult to get to know you, but I want to try! Say, Tuesday night?” (I said no). A…

I just want to remind everyone that even if you have not experienced violence or harassment due to rejecting unwanted advances you absolutely know someone who has, this is as horrifying as it is common.

“why not be honest and just tell them you’re not interested??”
oh.

Boy do I hate being a man right about now...we are assholes and murderers...