Posts Written by Renee
By Renee Davidson • 11 years ago

Blogging on street harassment: Sharing stories, spurring action

On Saturday, the homepage of CNN – the second most popular internet news outlet in America – featured a detailed piece on street harassment and sexual violence. All too often, the threat posed by street harassment is downplayed, referred to as a “compliment” or simply dismissed as just “how it is.” But CNN reporter Emily Smith recounts stories by two female bloggers that have recently gone viral – along with interviews with anti-street harassment experts Holly Kearl and Emily May – to challenge the idea that street harassment is trivial. The strength of Smith’s feature is not just that it emphasizes the gravity of street harassment, but also that it underscores the grassroots (!) power of women speaking out against it. Citing Kearl, Smith says that street harassment is a global problem that demands more attention. Her article goes on to show that women are doing just that – demanding attention.

By Renee Davidson • 11 years ago

When standing up to sexual harassment makes you a b*tch

I recently enjoyed my lunch break by picking up books at MLK Library, located in Gallery Place/Chinatown in Northwest DC.  A few steps after I left MLK to return to work, an older man walked briskly toward me on the sidewalk, pointing his finger as he approached. “You’re sexy,” he said, continuing to point at me as he passed.

“Stop harassing women,”  I said. I didn’t turn around to see his reaction. A young man waking beside me chuckled. I wasn’t laughing. In my work clothes with my books, I immediately felt embarrassed and objectified by what he said. 

Immediately, I heard the man begin yelling at me from behind. ...

I recently enjoyed my lunch break by picking up books at MLK Library, located in Gallery Place/Chinatown in Northwest DC.  A few steps after I left MLK to return to work, an older man walked briskly ...