Immediately following the height of #MeToo women and girls have been inundated with messages like "be kind". If #MeToo got us talking and
Immediately following the height of #MeToo women and girls have been inundated with messages like “be kind“.
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If #MeToo got us talking and telling our stories, the years that followed pushed for “silence” and focusing on male feelings.
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 Women who protect their safety and honor their feelings are told they are being “rude” and “unkind”.Â
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No Ma’am. No Sir.
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All of this is for the furtherance of victimization and predators.Â
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 The woman in this video did nothing wrong. She did not yell, curse, or name call. She simply removed herself from a space and situation where she felt uncomfortable. Â
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I too avoid being in an elevator with anyone who makes me feel less than safe. Â
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- If a man or woman comes on the elevator and stands too close to me, I’m off.Â
- If a man or woman comes on the elevator and I smell something I don’t like (substances or strong fragrances that I’m allergic to), I’m off.
- If a man or woman comes on the elevator blasting music or having a loud phone conversation, I’m off.Â
 If you are uncomfortable, by all means, remove yourself.
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As a mother, I can tell you that there are people who will not get on an elevator if you have a lot of kids OR….if the child you are with appears to have a disability. They look over the car and quietly leave.
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No issues. No worries for me or any of the children I was with. At most, we glanced at one another and chuckled.Â
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If you are uncomfortable, by all means, remove yourself.
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For those who may ask…again
Q: But what about white women who clutched their purses tighter around Black men?
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A: Do you think that I, a Black woman, don’t take precautions around all men? I can’t speak about other women’s motives but I take precautions around all men that I do not know.Â
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I highly recommend that others do as well because these people that you share a planet with are hit-and-miss when it comes to getting justice for you.
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