“I don’t see it as a compliment – I see it as RUDE!”

I had just gotten lunch and I was headed to Union Square Park to eat. I was waiting at the corner (at about where Broadway intersects 14th St), looking at my phone, when a thin older man rode by very slowly on a bike. As he passed me, I could feel him staring me in the face and at my chest (even though it doesn’t matter, I’ll mention the fact that I wasn’t even wearing a shirt where you could really SEE my chest!). Then he murmured, “You’re beautiful.”

I looked up at him, scowling, and he’d turned around to look back at me. He winked and made a kissy face as I gave him my most murderous glare.

He said, “It’s a compliment!”

I replied, “I don’t see it as a compliment – I see it as RUDE!”

He obviously did not like the way I responded, because he circled his bike around as if to say something more to me but thought better of it and kept going. Fortunately there were a lot of people around, otherwise I would’ve panicked when he’d turned around.

This is one of the first times I’ve worked up the nerve to say something to a street harasser, and I felt SO empowered in doing it! Unfortunately I’m going to think twice about doing it if I’m alone…

– Anonymous

Location: Broadway and 14th St, Union Square, New York City, NY

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