unwelcome attention

[morwen]

I think it must have been idiots night out today.

I had - one guy creep me out on the bus by sitting next to me when in fact I was the only person on the rather large bus.

Several people try to talk to me on my way to the club.

I thought once I'd be in there, I'd be safe - but no. I get two of them in the same night.

Then, after I leave, and am searching for a taxi, I get the odd comment and in particular someone who follows me.

Now, I'm well past the point where I take this as a compliment (which I guess is progress in itself). I find it fucking scary; perhaps more so because I have absolutely no idea how to deal with it other than running away.

Do t-shirts with 'GO AWAY I AM A LESBIAN' written on them actually work?

Comments

[vampwillow]

Re t-shirt, sadly straight guys (some, anyway) seem to see lesbians (t-shirt-wearing or not) as either (a) a challenge, (b) something they would like to watch in pairs, or (c) both.

It would probably attract them instead ...

[abigailb.livejournal.com]

I had a suspicion it might.

Argh.

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

>I have absolutely no idea how to deal with it other than running away.

I usually run away too.

When I'm walking around, I usually walk fast and I try to avoid walking around by myself around pub-closing time, because that's usually the worst time. If I'm on public transport, I often have a big bag with me, which probably makes people less likely to sit next to me. Sometimes I walk around with headphones on, because then if people do shout stuff at me, at least I can't hear it. I guess on public transport, try to sit near the driver or other people that look safe. At train stations, they sometimes have women-only waiting rooms, so look around for those. The best defence is to try to travel with other people when you can, I guess. :(

[abigailb.livejournal.com]

All good advice. I haven't seen any of those waiting rooms - do they only happen at big stations?

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

Probably - think the only one I've noticed so far was at Doncaster!

[barakta]

Joyous, not.

Ho humm, my only real defence to this has been the walk stupidly fast and hope they will go away. I don't understand the 'oooh female alone lets go sit too close or follow her' mentality.

Wearing a big fuck off scary biker jacket has been known to work, esp if you have perfected your lesbian scowl. Sadly my biker jacket got nicked by some thieving git who burgled us 6 months ago. Must go find another soonest.

Natalya

[abigailb.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to conclude the reason is that all men are evil and the only ones who appear non-evil are really TSs in denial. ;) Unfortunately, this doesn't explain transmen.