#MeToo

I had nothing in my mind about sexual harassment at the workplace, until one day while I was working and had a job conversation with a designer guy at his desk, this man passed through. He gave me that look, to my lower part, and said passionately: nice butt.

I was so angry and gave him a silent treatment--which was hell for him because he had to do some tasks with me. Don't get me wrong. It wasn't easy for me to speak up--even though it's possible. It's always possible, but it was hard.

He asked for an apology at last. And little did I know he did it too to some women colleagues back then. He also spanked one of them. I bet he had to face our HRD if he did it to me.

On another occasion, when I already moved to my new office, I used to join a team to participate in a national exhibition. Later on, I resigned due to my fragile second pregnancy. And this middle-aged man (who were a member of the team I've mentioned above), suddenly messaged me. At first, we were talking blablabla and at the end, he asked for my picture. Yes, you-know-what-I-mean f***ing picture.

If we want to talk about how often women get sexual harassment, we are not only experienced it in the community such as workplace or campus or else, but also in public. We usually experience sexual harassment from catcalling, nasty stares, or even worse rape. 

Talking about another thing, I am not the kind of person who feels comfortable let alone proud when a man stares at my chest. (I know some women were proud of it--so damn proud--but not with me.) I feel not comfortable with this kind of look.

It also happened one very hot day when I was wearing a tank WITH AN OUTERWEAR. Those guys gave me a look as if I was f***ing naked. One of them even turned his head which he actually was on a ride.

If you think this matter of problems came from my attitude or the way I dressed up, then you are biased.

If you gave me advice to cover my body head to toe because you might think it would save me from any damage, then you might never hear that sexual harassment also happens in Saudi.

You can not judge someone and simplify it as it was women's fault. We can not let this always happen until we heard it from our daughter. We should speak. We should stop thinking that women deserve something bad.

I do believe that being in bias circumstances is uncomfortable. Because I have been there.

Because #MeToo.[]

*picture was grabbed from here.