Me Too

[Tarlo Farm]

Can't believe in this day of sexual harassment revelations, no one has started this topic.

Well, me too. When it appeared someone wanted to start a hashtag with "name him", I thought "him" who?? Which month, what year?? I was 12 or 13 when first approached in a train station, guarding the luggage waiting for my dad to get the tickets and my mom to find the right train tracks. He was a kindly looking older man who simply asked if I wanted to "go with" him.
That was the beginning. I'm now almost 60 and can say I've not been harassed in a year or two.

[Saddlebum]

Until the famous started coming out, I felt I would be victimized again if I spoke up or defended myself, just an ongoing feeling. Even when at 13, a young man grabbed my breasts with his hands IN FRONT OF MY DAD who was not watching but knew something happened by my face as the young man simply got his feel and walked away. Had no confidence my Dad would pursue it as there was no actual harm done so I did not tell him. Felt he would say, 'oh, he's just being a normal boy'. This was 51 years ago of course.

I worked in a male dominated industry for 25+ years. Other woman often told me how their bodies were grabbed, pinched, and poked in public; and they were raped. Asked them if they did anything about it at the time and of course they said no. It didn't happen to me but...I felt confident enough to yell and make a scene if any man did.

I believe the culture of 'men will be men' is ending. I suffered emotional harassment, demeaning behavior from my co-workers for years and felt I had to do everything twice as good as them just to be considered equal.

For me, all this 'coming out' is a relief, a lifting of a shroud. Feels good to see men are losing their jobs over it. I am so disappointed in Senator Al Franken, what a hypocrite.

[Flight]

I remember riding my horse when I was about 13, down a local bush track and seeing a man naked and what I later realised was wanking! He was saying stuff to me and I galloped off. I felt so scared and embarrassed. I did tell my mum but nothing happened about it, and I got teased about seeing it.
Being petrified walking home from school when there was a heap of work being done on the road, and the workmen calling out obscenities and sexual stuff to me. But nothing done about it.

I'll be so glad when sexism is gone. When you can just do things and be judged as a person, not as a 'male' or 'female'. It may not happen completely in my lifetime but I'm glad it's changing. Shitty, bad behaviour being permitted for so long.

[Tarlo Farm]

Yep. All of it. Until women - 51% of the population - hold 51% of the power (because we all know it's mostly about power, not sex) I believe the threats will continue. We all either were so horrified when we were younger, or shrugged it off as we got older. This MUST be the turning of the tide.

[PaulaO]

I was about 7 when a man stopped his car on the street and asked me if I had even seen "this." He took out his penis. I ran, but never told my parents, cuz you just didn't. It was almost accepted as normal.

I hope all these "pesterers" get what is coming, but I hope it doesn't turn into a witch hunt.

Re: "pesterers." Emma Thompson gave a great interview about Harvey Weinstein. It's on Youtube. Great thoughts.

[amygdala]

yeah, me too. and one of the joys of getting old is that everyday harrassment slows down. unless you work in a male dominated industry

[texsuze]

And the harassment takes on different forms. Or maybe I'm just re-thinking experiences I've had, working all those temp secretary jobs to make money for college. When married guys in the department or office area where I worked became friendly, talkative, wanting to show me around the facility, the plant, the office, always encroaching on my personal space when I was trying to get the work done. No groping or pawing or anything lewd or overt, but just that creepy feeling, and 'what would your wife think if she saw this?' kind of scenario.

DH feels the problems begin in childhood when boys aren't provided with the "do's" and "don'ts" of interaction with the opposite sex. I'm not sure I agree. Men and women are wired differently and although power is a big component of this disgusting behavior, I'd have to say plain 'ol sexual want is alive and well and a driving force. So many guys just have b@ll$ for brains.