Now that I’m in my final stretch of being a New Yorker, I thought it would be fun to make a little daily feature filled with things that I’ve endured, but have ultimately always despised about living in New York. I really wanted to come up with a long, bitter-sweet account of my life and time in this city, but I’ll have to forgo the niceties because this place is cluttered with garbage. Ain’t nothin’ gonna change that.
Welcome to: SMELL YA LATER, NEW YORK
Street Harassment: (And no, it does not matter what I’m wearing).
This afternoon, Monday, July 22nd, 2013, I walked 6 blocks from my apartment in Bushwick down Wyckoff Avenue for a cup of coffee and received verbal sexual-harassment 4 times. That’s 4 times in less than 15 minutes. I even attempted a different route to avoid passing by the men who made comments to me, but someone got me from a car! A drive-by! I must say that I’m looking forward to living in a Boston neighborhood with a reputation for its gay population. Also, I’m really looking forward to not receiving unwanted remarks from filthy men who spend their entire day sitting on the street in front of bodegas because they don’t know what jobs are! Maybe you’ve heard of all the complaints that girls make about street harassment, and maybe you’ve entertained merely listening to an anecdote about the silly or clever things that girls have done to respond to street harassment so they don’t feel so vulnerable as they try to walk home from the subway or go to the grocery store. My experience is not unique, but the point is, I refuse to accept being a victim of street harassment in New York City as “part of life” here for a girl.
A Vegetarian Blog 