I Hate Being Hit On.

When I was around fifteen years old, I attended a gig where an older man (somewhere in his forties) offered to buy me a drink. I said no. He kept on asking. I kept on saying no. When he finally got the picture, and his mate had buggered off to the bar, he continued to hang around near me, talking to me, despite me blatantly trying to ignore him. The headline band started playing and he put his arm around me. This is not okay. Clearly I wasn't interested and he didn't get that. I ended up walking off and a guy around my age who I'd spoken to in the queue made sure I was okay... I can remember him telling me that I'd looked really scared of the older guy. 

When I was going to get a bus after college one day, one of those people who try to sell you things asked for my number. As in, he was asking me out on a date. Nah, mate. You're at least twenty-five (and I was seventeen), and I had a boyfriend. God knows what I would have said to him if I couldn't have told him that... I've also had numerous guys at gigs ask my name, or just randomly start talking to me. One has even gone as far as to try to kiss me. While I was completely okay with him up until this point, because he was a nice guy, funny and interesting, surely he knew nothing would come of that would-be kiss, since we both lived really, really far apart?  

When I've been walking alone, and with friends along busy roads, we've had lorry drivers, or just drivers honk their horns at us. That is truly disgusting. Then there's the guys who look at you like you're a piece of meat, and the guys that yell obscene crap at you. 

It doesn't impress us, lads!

Each and every time I've had attention from a random stranger, it's been unwanted. I'm just trying to get home, or have a nice time at a gig, or spend some time with friends. Never am I going to look at a catcaller, or random bloke who wants to buy me a drink at a gig and think yup, that's him. That's the one I'm going to marry. Because no fucking way! Get to know me, and do something sweet, don't just assume you're entitled to my body. Honestly, no one is entitled to your body, not even your boyfriend or girlfriend, and that is something too few people realise. Your body, your rules. 

People need to have so, so much more respect for each other, and understand that not everyone is out to get laid. 

Cool beans. 

- Dottie x