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There’s a lot being said about sexual harassment in the world right now, it’s time believers joined the conversation. So here I am, stepping in. Let your voice be heard!
The first time I was sexually harassed was when I was 5 years old. The second time, I was 13, standing in an elevator full of people.
There are countless moments of sexual harassment that pass by as a “normal” part of our culture, especially for young woman who are still learning confidence and stepping into their bodies as young ladies. When harassment does happen, woman are shamed, dismissed and subtly told that had they made different choices in clothing, they would not have been harassed.
Often the subtle message in society is: woman and girls are victims because of their own beauty, and if their clothing highlights that beauty, then it’s their fault that someone touched them. Our country sings the narrative that men that touch woman are powerless because “men are men” and “you can’t blame them.” It’s constant dismissal to woman who have been raped or harassed creates a culture that makes girls not feel safe to speak up.
Men are incredible part of our culture, and they are not at the mercy of their sex drive, lusts and beautiful woman. If they make a choice that is illegal, they made that choice regardless of the shirt woman are wearing that day.
Men have the power to control their minds and hands. If they choose not to, often our society overlooks, dismiss and puts blame on the victims through countless judgments. People look for the part the victim played in the assault. Maybe to lessen the pain of the thought that someone can simply be standing, sitting, walking and someone else can assault them?
It’s not “normal” for a 20 something year old to walk through a room crowded people and have her booty be grabbed randomly every single time. It’s not “normal” for a customer to make inappropriate sexual comments to a minor and then threatened to have her fired if she say anything. It’s not “normal” to be touched by strangers and it’s not validation of being attractive. It’s sexual harassment. It’s illegal.
It’s time to join the conversation, warriors. Don’t shy away from telling your stories so other girls can feel safe to tell theirs. Continue to stand up in moments when completely inappropriate things take place. Take action, make a scene, make waves, call the police, etc. Don’t dismissed it. There are girls out there who are trying to sort things out. It’s time we be advocates for them and tell them the things we wish we had known.
(Men ALSO have experienced sexual harassment. Countless men have joined the conversation. Rise up, let you voices be heard.)
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