Most women know the possible dangers of walking alone on the road at night. From wanted stares, lewd comments to straight-up sexual harassment are things that many women experience regularly.
However, one guy understood what it’s like being a woman walking on a road at night after he grew his hair out and some men mistook him for a woman.
after growing my hair out, men sometimes mistaken me as a woman when i’m walking home late at night
let me tell you, as a grown ass man, it’s fucking scary
— Andy 李慕安 🏳️🌈 (@andy_muan) August 30, 2021
What’s heartbreaking is that after he expressed his fear, several people online gave him safety tips to keep potential sexual predators at bay – from using keys as a weapon to carrying pepper spray.
You need to learn how to carry your keys as weapons. Girls are literally taught how not to get raped from childhood. It’s horrible.
— Michelle O’Brien 🦇 (@Wolf_six) August 30, 2021
Carry a pepper spray, a whistle, and such. You can get them as a set to attach to your key bunch! So useful! I also use an app called @Life360 that I turn on so my friends can track me when I walk home late.
— Gayathri | காயத்ரி (@sadgradgaya) August 30, 2021
I literally tuck my hair up and change my gait when I walk alone in some places to pass as male from a distance for safety.
— Emily (@schwantarctic) August 30, 2021
It doesn’t happen just at night.I’ve had men call me darling, sweetie and any other pet name trying to get my attention at work. They always seem surprised to see my beard one I turn around. Fuck em.
— EG (@Evo0882) August 30, 2021
Yup, when I had long hair and wasn’t facing towards someone while working as a cashier at a store, I’d get cat called a bit. Creepy as hell. There were women I worked with that would purposely hide in the back when specific guys came in.
Dudes, you’re creepy, not flirty.
— Mike 🔭 Rector (@AdirondackAstro) August 30, 2021
My spouse is a 5’3″ man with hair to the middle of his back. Poor guy gets catcalled as much as I do. And as a bonus we often get yelled at by people who think we’re a lesbian couple.
— Alex LeViness (@alexleviness) August 30, 2021
It is horrible & imagine a 10-year-old girl walking home from school . .
Many young girls in our society (US) experience frightening things at a very young age
We need to teach our children better, teach boys to respect themselves & others. Many women have endured much bullshit
— #Goodstuff PhD (@Hope_4youandme) August 31, 2021
I originally cut off my long blonde hair because of the unwanted attention it got. I literally got grabbed by the hair one night and that was it. Have kept it short ever since.
— Cath Gregory, PhD (@CathGregorySP) August 31, 2021
When walking alone at night, I’d wear an oversized man’s jacket, put my hair in a baseball hat, walk like a dude and wear a literal fake mustache. Every woman knows why, and I’m glad your experience helped you understand why, too.
— April (@NeuroPoetica) August 31, 2021
I have always carried keys and objects of any kind useful in case of an attack. I was picked on many times in a dark by strangers and just acting natural as possible and walking away is best, so much unnecessary stress! I had to walk home for years!
— Kasia *fully vaccinated* (@PhageHunterKW) August 31, 2021
Isn’t it sad how most women are scared for their safety while doing something so basic as walking on the street at night?