Sexual Harassment Stories and Experiences

She made me feel sick and dirty

Willie, New Jersey

I’m a 32 year old male, and I have Cerebral Palsy(CP).

The other night, I was at my tanning salon. The girls who work there have become friendly with me. On off the girls liked my new hairstyle, and wanted to take some new pictures. Then she asked me to do something fun, so I did a back bend bridge- something I am proud of, because it’s one of the first stretch positions I was able to do, combating the CP. There was another girl on the couch, across the room. After I got up, I went to walk over to the front desk. Passing the girl on the couch, she had a repulsed look on her face, and said that she saw “everything”. I did not understand what she meant, and her tone felt demeaning. She started staring at my private area, and said “everything”, and I said, “I know for a fact, nothing can be seen.” and I continued: “besides, you had no business looking there.” In a degrading tone, she said tone I had no business doing that pose. I said my friend asked me to do it, and she turned her face away from me making a “pssshhht” noise.

I walked outside, and told the other girls I was feeling sick, and I was feeling dirty. They told me not to worry about it, and I am doing my best.

I read the effects of harassment on this site, and these are what are happening to me. I thought I was going off the deep end. I was not sure if this was sexual harassment, but apparently, it is.

I feel like asking the people who work at the tanning salon to find out who that was, so I can confront her, and make sure she did not see anything. I know she didn’t, and she was being mean spirited, but my mind is hard to convince otherwise. I keep having anxiety attacks as the instance replays in my head. I keep praying that it goes away. At times I think it does go away, but then, it hits me. I went back to the tanning salon tonight, and that’s when it really started to hit me. Then when I came home, it hit me more. I have faith I can beat this, and I wonder if sharing this story will make me progress.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 18th, 2006 at 9:52 pm and is filed under Sexual Harassment in Miscellaneous Settings, Effects of Sexual Harassment, Health Effects, Sexual Harassment of Men, Dispelling Sexual Harassment Myths, Sexual Harassment by Women. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “She made me feel sick and dirty”

Ceara Says:
September 23rd, 2006 at 6:36 pm
A lot of people think that women don’t sexually harass others. I think it’s the result of sexism, and myths perpetuated on the part of many feminists. (Sorry, gals, but it’s true.) For the most part, woman are viewed as “asexual” (probably out of fear of an agressive, sexual woman). But this leads to the myth that woman do not sexually harass others, or cause any damage if the “impossible” happens and one does harass.

(The recent study by the American Association of University Women showed over 30% of female students admitted to sexually harassing people.)

Then there is the myth that men don’t get harassed, or that they enjoy it. No one enjoys harassment. It harms everyone.

Thanks for sharing this, Willie
Stacey Says:
October 25th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Willie,

I just read your article. Keep the faith, you know the truth. Others tend to want to steal or take your joy. I would have to agree with you, she did not need to make such a remark. The issue or problem at times seem to be, that certain people can’t seem to mind there own business. Sometimes, when people make a unfavorable remark, I say to myself - Consider the source - and say…your insignificant (the person who made the rude comment - not you) Sometimes I even laugh out loud. Just so, they hear it-My mother would also say; never let them see you sweat. Share it with others as you are…you’ll see you will get closure if you haven’t already done so.
Take care - God Bless, keep your chin up!!
Rachel Says:
December 8th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Hi,

If this woman had something mean to say ignore her. I get comments like that at school all the time. One boy has ( and he has told me this) taken pics of my bust and butt on his cell phone during school. I had a simular incident at a school concert. I had just gotten done my solo and when it was over in the crowd was cat calls ” oh honey starnd up again! come on be a naughty school girl!” dont let her negative comments take the joy out of your accomplishments. Be proud! I suffer from ADD & ADHD and I was sooo proud when I got an A on an report card. dont let people who can do those things easily take away your accomplishment! You GO!!
jerry Says:
June 17th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
dude get over it she was a b…. not to much to be concerned about

She made me feel sick and dirty

4 Responses to “She made me feel sick and dirty”

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