When I Was Subjected To Sexism

A third year on my course asked for contributions to her magazine on the topic of gender. I’d recently noticed the hashtag #WhenIWas on Twitter and thought it would make for an interesting read. Here it is…

Illustration: Myself & Beth Bowman

When I was 7, I was asked why I didn’t wear dresses to school ‘like the other girls’. When I was 10, a classmate groped my breasts in the playground. When I was 13, I was told I couldn’t wear a bikini on a school trip because it would be too distracting for my male classmates. When I was 14, boys would try putting their hands up my school skirt. When I was 17, I was told I had to vote because women died in order to give me that right. When I was 18, I felt a pair of unwanted hands grab my bum while dancing in a club. When I was 19, a co-worker called me a slut because I was confident enough to date, yet had only slept with four guys. When I was 20, I was told ‘come on, you know you want to’ in response to turning down sex.

This is just my story.

The hashtag #WhenIWas recently hit Twitter, taking a spot on the national trending list. Women from around the world revealed their most personal ‘Everyday Sexism’ experiences, with many telling appalling stories of sexual harassment.  What surprised me the most was the young age at which many women had suffered from these experiences, more unbelievably so, from figures of authority and trust such as teachers, priests and security guards.

Part of me is grateful that my experiences haven’t been as violent or upsetting as others that I have read. But why should I be grateful that I have only been groped, that I’ve only been told what to wear, that I’ve only been pressured in to sex, as if this is considered normal in a girls’ life, or somehow acceptable?

When seeking friends’ advice for this article, I was met with the suggestion of discussing how Yorkie had to change their slogan: ‘IT’S NOT FOR GIRLS’ as a ‘point on how sexism isn’t as bad as it was’. If changing the slogan of a chocolate bar is a milestone in the ongoing struggle against sexism, then we are clearly not moving forward at the pace required.

Campaigns such as #WhenIWas are crucial in raising awareness around the issues of sexism. Despite the serious undertone of the hashtag, I love that it encourages women to speak about their experiences on such a public platform, uniting women and offering support worldwide, while also educating those who don’t believe that sexism is a significant topic.

Aderyn Holt