I’ve been thinking about starting this blog for a while now. I’ve been encouraged by my partner and my best friend to write down the different experiences I have had with street harassment, catcalling, hollering, whatever you want to call it.
I am a native of Brooklyn, NY. The majority of my experiences with catcalling have been in Brooklyn or other parts of New York City. The place where I live (and come from) shapes my experiences and stories, of course, and I acknowledge this fact. At the same time, I recognize there are many ways in which my stories are not unique. There are memories and realities that link people of diverse gender and sexual identities across space and time.
So what exactly I will be blogging about? Excellent question.
For right now, I intend to blog about my daily experiences with catcalling. I may not write every day, but I will do my best to make this blog a true chronicle of things heard, said, seen, experienced…
Hopefully, by documenting the frequency of these incidents (as well as their violence and downright absurdity) I’ll be able to shed light on an all-too-common experience that is often dismissed, ridiculed, or straight-up exalted.
I have selfish motivations for the blog as well. I hope that by writing it all down and engaging in dialogue with others, I’ll be able to develop better strategies for resistance and keeping my peace of mind. I’m looking here for advice a little deeper and less dismissive than “Just don’t let it get to you.”
Some things are worth being angry about. Violence and patriarchy are high on my list of Things Worth Being Angry About.
With this being said, let’s get cracking! Venting, shedding light, and above all, connecting with one another!
Through testimony and listening we can inspire transformation. Smash patriarchy. All that good stuff.
I am a native of Brooklyn, NY. The majority of my experiences with catcalling have been in Brooklyn or other parts of New York City. The place where I live (and come from) shapes my experiences and stories, of course, and I acknowledge this fact. At the same time, I recognize there are many ways in which my stories are not unique. There are memories and realities that link people of diverse gender and sexual identities across space and time.
So what exactly I will be blogging about? Excellent question.
For right now, I intend to blog about my daily experiences with catcalling. I may not write every day, but I will do my best to make this blog a true chronicle of things heard, said, seen, experienced…
Hopefully, by documenting the frequency of these incidents (as well as their violence and downright absurdity) I’ll be able to shed light on an all-too-common experience that is often dismissed, ridiculed, or straight-up exalted.
I have selfish motivations for the blog as well. I hope that by writing it all down and engaging in dialogue with others, I’ll be able to develop better strategies for resistance and keeping my peace of mind. I’m looking here for advice a little deeper and less dismissive than “Just don’t let it get to you.”
Some things are worth being angry about. Violence and patriarchy are high on my list of Things Worth Being Angry About.
With this being said, let’s get cracking! Venting, shedding light, and above all, connecting with one another!
Through testimony and listening we can inspire transformation. Smash patriarchy. All that good stuff.
pumped to read your future posts Brooklyn feminist! This is an important and worthwhile endeavor.
ReplyDeleteI love it! I am so proud of you for taking such a courageous step by creating these chronicles. Imagine what openness and honesty can do to promote public discussion about such a disconcerting topic!
ReplyDeleteawesome Naima. Lets here it for the feminists. This IS worth being angry about, as a society we forget that and become desensitized on some level, even though we most certainly internalize it and validate it. keep reminding us that this world can be so much more than just a tolerable place... LOTS OF LOVE HERMANA.
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