I Had To Teach My Son About Street Harassment
"I have tried to explain to him exactly what it is that the girls he knows are facing out there, and how important it is for him to never become part of that problem."
If you're a girl growing up in New York City, you learn about street harassment at an early age. The lesson is not optional. As soon as you approach adolescence, as soon as your shape starts to change, men on the street start saying things to you. It's a confusing and often scary realization that girls come into suddenly: The simple act of walking your body down the street is something you have to learn how to do all over again. With a game face on.
When I went through this learning experience,
