I was reluctant to let a strange male into my apartment building
"CHICK," he sneered, "just forget about it. I'm not going to RAPE you."
I'm usually queen of the esprit d'escalier, but some language-oriented part of my brain was working that moment. Today a man started making a left turn directly into the side of my car while I was stuck in the middle of a small intersection on Sunset Boulevard. "Learn to read, HONEY," was his directive. I flipped him off, small moment of standing up for myself, whatever.
And now I'm remembering this time with a tall, gorgeous woman friend down by 6th and Market. This one guy stepped right in front of her, eye to eye, not playing: "What's up, BITCH?"
I'm lucky: I'm smart, and mean, and so is she. She stepped neatly to one side, and we kept walking. But oh, the rage. Theirs and ours. No, you can't come in. No, you can't drive into my vehicle. No, you can't get in my personal space. No, you don't have to actually rape me now that you've already tried to degrade me with specifically anti-female words.
Just before the outer door slammed in his face, I told him, coolly, "I've already been raped, thanks." Meaning, I'm good. His mouth opened wider, then clicked shut.
I'm usually queen of the esprit d'escalier, but some language-oriented part of my brain was working that moment. Today a man started making a left turn directly into the side of my car while I was stuck in the middle of a small intersection on Sunset Boulevard. "Learn to read, HONEY," was his directive. I flipped him off, small moment of standing up for myself, whatever.
And now I'm remembering this time with a tall, gorgeous woman friend down by 6th and Market. This one guy stepped right in front of her, eye to eye, not playing: "What's up, BITCH?"
I'm lucky: I'm smart, and mean, and so is she. She stepped neatly to one side, and we kept walking. But oh, the rage. Theirs and ours. No, you can't come in. No, you can't drive into my vehicle. No, you can't get in my personal space. No, you don't have to actually rape me now that you've already tried to degrade me with specifically anti-female words.
Just before the outer door slammed in his face, I told him, coolly, "I've already been raped, thanks." Meaning, I'm good. His mouth opened wider, then clicked shut.