It is an undisputed fact — at least in my opinion — that being a woman in the U.S. isn’t exactly easy.
We unfortunately aren’t afforded the same courtesies as men in the public sphere and as a result, we are often filled with fear because of the opposite sex’s failure to treat us as their equal and more as a piece of property.
This warped power dynamic is played out each time a woman is whistled at for her appearance or receives unwanted touching.
There is no reason I — or any woman — should have to clutch keys and form a makeshift bronze knuckle when walking home at night. Yet, I do, with as much confidence as I can muster to avoid seeming like a target while doing my best Wolverine impression.
Forget diamonds — pepper spray is a girl’s best friend.
In the U.S., it seems like women are inundated with this cautious mindset as soon as we leave the womb. We are taught every day after on how to best protect ourselves against any harm by minimizing our presence.
After arriving in Italy for my study abroad program, I found myself taken aback by the even greater disregard for female agency.
I expected a more civilized populace just over the Atlantic, but that prior, naive notion was soon dashed out when my friends and I were followed home from a bar by several men, who we hadn’t even spoken a word to.
As soon as they realized we were foreigners, they pounced, attempting to communicate their intentions in broken English and crass body language. It seemed our lack of citizenship made us an easier conquest.
They preceded to wait outside of our apartment for a couple hours before finally giving up and accepting their loss.
I was shocked and a bit mortified at their persistence and aggression, but shrugged the incident aside, believing it was a onetime thing — I was wrong.
Olivia Heersink | Argonaut
A few weeks later the same thing happened again. And after that, we faced further harassment.
I began to wonder if this is how they went about dating in this country, and if that is the case, I’d much rather find romance in a three-euro bottle of wine.
Before leaving to a foreign country, you come to expect a variety of things that will be different from home — the language, the food, the clothing, the culture. You are entering into a completely different continent after all. But, this was not one of the things I expected to find such a stark contrast, especially not in Italy or my smaller, medieval town.
No matter where you are — abroad or in the U.S. — never let your guard down. Harassment and indecency extend across the pond. Misogyny is everywhere.
Olivia Heersink can be reached at [email protected]