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In 2015 I will be writing a Sentence a Day. You can read more about why here.
Today is the 26 March 2015.
Question:
What is one political issue you feel passionately about?
Answer:
The every day sexism (including, but in no way limited to, harassment, unequal pay, sexual assault, rape, violence, objectification and unwanted attention) experienced by women every single day of their lives, all over the world. Will it ever stop?
https://twitter.com/EverydaySexism
In Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes, Kirsty Wark investigates whether there is a new culture in society today in which men seem to think they have the freedom, and the right, to speak about, write about and portray women in a derogatory or even abusive way - and I think it is vitally important we tune in.
From early teenage I can distinctly remember my friends and I being treated differently and harassed because of our gender. Whether being hollered at out of cars by younger or much older men or being followed, the very existence of 'Lads Mags' and bare boobs in newspapers, or being groped in bars / on the street, it was humiliating and frightening.
This was before the explosion of the internet though and, absurdly, I consider myself lucky. Admittedly, I dished out my fair amount of furious words, threw drinks in faces, shouted STOP TOUCHING MY BUM NOW on the Tube to draw attention to gropers. This didn't stop the unwanted behaviour but it was empowering all the same and sent a direct message, humiliating the humiliator.
But I am deeply concerned for today's young women who are growing up in a Britain where rape and porn culture is the norm, and who seem to have something more dangerous to deal with than bum gropers.
For young women, if you 'speak out' you get publicly bullied and trolled online. If you choose to share (or worse are coerced into sharing) intimate photos with a boyfriend, images are shared around schools or colleges. Extreme sexual bullying and sexual violence is all too familiar in gang culture as highlighted by Carlene Firmin, who set up the organisation MsUnderstood in 2013 to address gender equality amongst the young, and porn is widely viewed.
It's not just younger women. Females of any age are victims online; whether bomb threats sent to campaigners who want to see female heroes on bank notes, the sexually explicit portrayal of women in pop videos or hideous 'rape' jokes.
This is casual sexism - misogyny without punitive action.
The Everyday Sexism Project exists to catalogue instances of sexism women experience on a day to day basis and provides an outlet for our frustrations and validity to a very serious problem. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates cites some worrying statistics, including that 1 in 3 girls aged 16 to 18 have experienced unwanted sexual touching at school and Nearly 70 per cent of female university students have experienced verbal or non-verbal harassment in or around their institution.
But I think the Government has an urgent role to play and a very big job on their hands, starting with reviewing the current offering of sex education and teaching about consent. The documentary features Wark meeting three girls who are so concerned about their generation’s understanding of consent, they have launched their own campaign for it to be taught as part of the national curriculum. I applaud these young women.
Blurred Lines: The New Battle of the Sexes looks to investigate whether the age-old hostilities that we see modernised today - advertising, music videos, gaming - should be seen as misogyny, sexism or liberation.
The way I see it? The lines are not blurred, they are very clear. No is no.
We don't want it.
Ladies, welcome to 2013. Where some men (and I really do emphasise some, not the entire species of the male) still believe this kind of nonsense is acceptable. While taking public transport or perhaps simply walking to work (as if Mondays aren't hard enough) they stop and stare steadily until through anger or sheer embarrassment you are forced to react - or vilify you if you dare to ignore them. Even worse still, some think its tolerable to grab you or press themselves up against you. It is utterly diminishing and it makes me really, really cross.
I scour all the monthly fashion magazines for inspiration on what to wear to pound the streets of London. I would love to be experimental and attempt some of the incredible outfits featured, after all fashion should be fun, but without the fear of (some) men thinking we are all doing it for THEM. Yet, and I am sure my girlfriends will testify, sometimes if we show as much as a flash of ankle on the Tube, that is enough to attract an utter berk. Often my choice of outfit is not based on what I fancy wearing, but dependent on whether I will be out and about on my own or accompanied by friends/husband. This really gets on my wick.
Please do not judge me or assume I am self-adoring, or a bit of a big head. Totally far from it; the opposite in fact. I hope I speak for all women everywhere who may have experienced this kind of twaddle - blokes staring unashamedly at your bits and making you squirm uncomfortably or pull up/pull down what was in fact a perfectly positioned top or skirt. Young boys making rape 'jokes', having your bum pinched or patted (yuck) by total strangers, men with enormous big bellies honking their horns when you are out running and a sweaty mess (note to paunchy men: it makes us run faster and more determinedly) to name but a few.
Fortunately this is being documented on the Everyday Sexism Project which catalogues instances of sexism and blatant perviness that occur on a daily basis. Laura Bates is aiming to show that it does exist, it is a problem and it most definitely is not OK. Twitter has finally accepted that trolling tweeters (AKA socially inept misogynistic cowards) are well, not very nice at all, and have introduced an in-tweet 'report abuse' button. (Erm, we knew that already, there is still a long way to go). Thanks to the tireless work of the fabulous Stella Creasy MP, who refused to ignore rape threats on Twitter, the abuse of women is firmly back in the media spotlight. In an age where Page 3 and the like is still disgustingly in existence (although a big kick in your nuts Nutz - the Co-Operative Group has threatened to ban you and other 'lads-mags' from sale in its 4,000 stores unless covered by sealed modesty bags ), fortunately we have women like Lucy-Anne Holmes who is working on the No More Page 3 campaign to get rid of this horribly outdated practice (Because Boobs aren't News). Hurrah for the transformative moments that are fighting against some of the most egregious forms of sexism.
But for now the day-to-day casual sexism and on-the-street nonsense continues. For some women, the hot weather brings more than alfresco dining and copious jugs of Pimms. A recent post on Spotted Walthamstow, a facebook page for rants, thanks and questions said 'Dear idiots of E17, I am not wearing shorts for your ogling/leering benefit or because I am a tart. I am wearing shorts BECAUSE IT IS HOT' and the comments from both men and women were mixed but most utterly naffed off at being jeered simply for trying to avoid heat exhaustion and wear our lovely new sandals.Maybe for writing this post, I will be dismissed for being a hysterical female making a big old hoo-ha about nothing. It is harmless! Oh get over yourselves, it is just staring. Its part of the male's inner instinct to admire the female form. We cannot be blamed or restrained. Besides, if you will insist on wearing clothing that displays your forearms and a smidge of elbow then surely that's asking for attention?
I totally disagree. Being leched, jeered or perved at can make the most tenacious of us ladies feel a bit vulnerable. It gets right under your skin and leaves you wanting to scream, shout, or run and hide. It is bloody embarrassing and makes you furious, but it is also a little bit frightening when there's absolutely no one else around and the death-stare dirty look that you have mastered after all those years of silliness from boys just isn't working, and what if they do more than just jeer? We simply shouldn't have to tolerate it.
Ladies, may your choice of clothing be dictated only by the season, the weather and your inclination. Not by fear of attracting lecherous nonsense. It is not an invitation. It never will be.
Lech off.