A microaggression in rape culture

Originally posted on Tumblr, CW rape culture

Little story for y’all. 

I work for a wonderful feminist nonprofit. It often creates a bubble for me; one that when I wander out of it, can be a little jarring. But it’s so lovely when I’m in it.

I wandered out of that bubble today, by accident. 

Our organization offices in a large office building with lots of male dominated companies (we appear to be one of the few tenants with a majority of female employees.) 

Today when I was heading out for an afternoon meeting the elevator stopped on the floor below ours…the floor known for almost all dude employees. 3 such dudes were waiting for the elevator…the kind of dudes who are “grown up” (loosely used here) fraternity bros. The kind of white dudes who reek of privilege and entitlement. But I digress. 

Apparently one of the 3, when the elevator doors opened, was hamming it up for the other 2, facing them, not the elevator doors. So when the elevator dings and the doors open, he continued telling his story to them, walking in the elevator backward, almost right into me. So move back as far as I can and then I held my hand out to stop him from fully plowing me over in the elevator. He realized, apologized, and his fellow bros give him a hard time about not paying attention, seeming like a creep, etc. 

In his apologies and their mocking him, the two who didn’t run into me somehow got into a “”””JOKE”””” of:

“You’ll have to excuse him, he’s the kind of guy who beckons to kids from a white panel van with candy.”

“Yeah, he’s the kind of guy you have to watch your drink around.” 

WHAT? 

Luckily, it was a quick elevator ride so I was able to get the fuck out of there. But liiiiiiike what kind of douche do you have to be to make a “’’’’joke’’’’’ like that to some random woman who is ALONE with 3 weirdo dudes in an elevator who has already been cramped into the corner by them…?

I can’t.