Why do women ?

Why are women ashamed of who they are? Why are we afraid to show ourselves off when everyone clearly wants us to? Why do women have a walk with their heads down while walking on the street or in the hallways of a place where they should be comfortable? Why do all of us women carry mace in our pockets that we hold tightly to us, especially when we are wearing anything that shows skin?

As I walk down the hallways at my own school, I get stared at in the places I don't want to be stared at. I am a woman, not simply a girl, so that makes me a victim of stares whenever I do anywhere or do anything, even if that anything is nothing. When men walk, they get to hold their heads up high and think about where they are going next, but girls have to think about their every move and if it is safe or not. You would think that I and other girls would be safe at school, right? But no, it is far from safe; it is where we get preyed on the most. Every day I walk down the same hallways to get to class and I see their eyes wander wherever my clothes end, sometimes they try to get closer to get a better look, sometimes they say something, or sometimes they do nothing but stare disrespectfully. Maybe that isn't that bad, but the fear of not knowing what will happen next or the insecurity of wondering if my outfit is too reveling so other people will act out is what is bad. Men that we trust the most hurt us in many ways, we get used and abused for our bodies daily because everyone seems to assume if we dress a certain way, we want to be treated that way. I could yell at them as my mother always taught me to, I could scream at them even, and tell them that I am not that girl, but what would further make no one take me seriously because men think it's cute when girls are angry. When I get mad they laugh and call me adorable like a cute little animal, but when I pretend to enjoy it, they call me a slut, but when I ignore it and walk calmly away, I'm playing hard to get. That's why women today take the abuse, we don't want it, we just deal with it because no matter what we do it isn't taken seriously. 

Everyday I take a walk around my neighborhood to get fresh air and a peaceful states of mind, it was my thing. It was what was helping me get over my eating disorder and gain the confidence in my body's ability. It was my thing. But one day I noticed that there was an older man following me for three blocks and was getting closer, he was coming after me out of all the little boys around the same street. I don't know if he did it because I was wearing a crop top, the fact that I had music blasting in my ears, or simply because I am a female and that automatically means I am weak and can't defend for myself. In my own home, my own neighborhood, I got prayed upon, and something that was my thing no longer became my thing because I can't risk my life for something I innocently enjoy. I always watch the news to see a new story about a woman doing something similar to what I was, except she didn't get to escape as I did from a man who assumed she was weak. Women can't do anything without getting hurt, it isn't the way we act, it's the stereotype that we aren't good enough and meek objects to be abused that follows us wherever we go. 

And no, the person reading this can't stop a serial killer from targeting us, but what can happen is boys need to stop laughing at the jokes about us. Serial killers come after us because of our stereotypes, and they come from those little stupid jokes made since grade school. We ar seen as easy targets and weak; our physical differences aren't funny, so stop trying to make it be. Boys need to stop assuming we want them when we very obviously don't. No, really does mean no, it isn't a hidden yes. Society needs to make it so we feel safe, and like we don't need to have weapons on us or avoid doing things we like. women are guarded, but we are guarded because of the trauma we endure due to the way society treats us. Before asking why a woman does something, ask why we are preyed on in the first place. 

***Author's note: I am genderfluid, I don't identify as a female so please don't use she/her pronouns unless said otherwise. This was written for an English assignment on stereotypes, so I chose what I have dealt with as someone who is biologically female. This is not generalizing "all men" before boys get insecure and get angry. This is a societal problem, a problem that needs to be tackled head on with tons of time and patience.***