Faith Collins

Online Editor

Earlier this summer, I applied for a job at a pool company that required its employees to work alone. I arrived at the interview prepared and genuinely wanting the job to help my parents with my first car. My boss introduced himself to me with a warm smile and I finally calmed down enough to shake his hand and greet him. I later learned that he used to be
a youth pastor at my church, and that explained why he was so welcoming and effective with teens. I felt comfortable with the job and I never thought I would want to leave.

Then, I started taking night shifts that ended anywhere between 8-10pm, which meant I would be left to an open space, at night, by myself.This severely upset my parents and they pushed for me to email my boss that I couldn’t take any- more night shifts.This overwhelmed me and put an immense amount of stress on my shoulders because I knew there was no way I would ever email my male boss that I couldn’t work due to paranoia. Additionally, a female friend of mine also worked for the same pool company, and she had no problem working shifts at night. I didn’t want to sound like I was complaining about hours or that I was making up excuses for being too lazy to work. How was I supposed to express this to my boss in a way that he could understand?

At this point I mentioned this to a male friend in a conversation, and he told me that it had never occurred to him how girls can easily feel unsafe in common situations like these.This surprised and sparked envy in me, that boys my age never had to worry about these very common instances that may make some- one of my gender feel insecure with her surroundings.

Rowan Blanchard, an American actress who is known for her star role on an influential Disney show called “Girl Meets World”, is appearing more frequently on social media timelines with her political stances and activist views. Earlier this year she appeared in a video filmed by Vice with other teen actresses in the same industry as Blanchard. In the video, Blanchard reveals how a similar incident happened to her, and that when she turned to a male colleague, he was shocked to hear what went on behind the camera with women in the workplace. Blanchard followed up with “I fantasize about being shocked” after she talked about being “immune” at this point with stories she hears about in the news in correlation to the #Metoo movement.

A social media study was taken earlier in the month on Twitter by a user who asked women the question: “What would you do if all men had 9 pm curfew?” to which multiple women responded with activities such as running at night and traveling the world solo.Women were stoked to imagine a world without worry or fear of assault after 9:00. One user replied, “I would sit alone on a deserted beach with my feet in the water. I would travel the world – think of all the places I could go if I weren’t worried about solo travel.”

Expectantly, various men found offense in this thread and felt the need to respond negatively. However, there was also a small (though appreciated) percentage of men who realized the uncomfortable positions that women are put in on a daily basis by men. One male user in particular commented that he “regularly visits other countries by himself, walking city streets after midnight while listening to music on [his] headphones while not speaking the language. [It] never occurred to me that this was a gender privilege.”

Although this thread was only referring to men as the predators, there are also other people to be aware of if you’re ever alone.The thread was not blaming solely men, or blaming anyone at all.The question was simply intended to provoke thought, so that people would listen to women about some of their grievances, and hopefully come to a realization or understanding of what we have to go through.This was accomplished as another Twitter user asked what he
and other men could do differently to prevent putting women in uncomfortable situations without the intention of doing so.Women already have the common sense that they were raised with to carry pepper spray, walk with their car key sticking out of their hands, and other methods of fending off potential threats. However, men should also have to do their part in ensuring a feeling of comfort when around women, even in situations you would consider normal. What is a normal situation for a male, is most likely not the same for a female.

I shouldn’t dread the future conversation with my boss, and I shouldn’t have to lie to him when I give my reason for leaving.