Worthy of sharing Emma Gray's story:
Why We Should Give A Sh*t About Even The Smallest Instances Of Sexism
Every tiny “pinprick” matters. And men, this is about you, too.
I was on my way to work last week prepping for my interview with British feminist author Laura Bates about her book Everyday Sexism when a man told me to smile. A few minutes later — still not smiling — it was raining, and I tweeted about my wardrobe confusion. A middle-aged father responded, suggesting that I consider “wearing nothing.”Ironically, it’s these tiny “pinpricks” as Bates calls them, that the U.S. edition of her book (and the Everyday Sexism Project which inspired it) is intended to bring awareness to — and ultimately combat.
Bates launched the Everyday Sexism Project in 2012 after a sh*tty week where she had “several terrible experiences in a really short period of time,” from street harassment to groping to being followed home by a man. The common thread? They all felt violating, but a kind of “normal” part of womanhood. She began speaking with other women and decided to create a platform where these sort of experiences could be shared.
Four years later, the project exists on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and on the Everyday Sexism website. More than 100,000 women have used the platform to share their stories of gender-based discrimination. The anecdotes include tales of street harassment, sexist dress codes and subtle workplace digs, and also darker stories of sexual violence, stalking and overt discrimination.
All of the stories illustrate the small and large ways deep-seated, structural sexism plays out in women’s lives.
Bates had a lot to say about why both women and men should care deeply about these issues, and what we can do — on a legislative, institutional and individual level — to combat everyday sexism.
What made you start the Everyday Sexism project?
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