Sexism is Over!

Townspeople, you may now rejoice...

Fifty percent of the humans I work with are male.  Seventy-five percent of them are confused about women.  Still.  The confusion is this wild concoction of fear laced with prejudice covered by a dollop of insecurity.  My male manager called his counterpart who in all eyes is his exact professional equal, a "whiny bitch," when she simply requested equal treatment; To her face and then to mine, as though I would side with him and think his faux pas hilarious.  It was revolting.  The female manager of our sister store was so in shock, her jaw agape, she simply left the scene.  What does one even say in this situation?  Freeze, flee, or fucking knock his ignorant lights out.  Most unsettling is that my anger blinded me to the best course of action so I too, have a long way to come.

A fellow male employee asked me in regard to the apparel of one of my best customers "How does her husband let her leave the house dressed like that?"  Where to even begin to dismantle the latent fear and sexism oozing from that statement.  Let her?  We need to be allowed to don certain garments when leaving the house?  How dare she even roam free without an escort!  Were her heels and pearls not adequate enough for your male gaze?  Was her fucking ankle showing and driving you so very mad with sexual desire that you could not help but comment?  How dare you even be allowed to pass judgement in your thoughts about what another women is wearing.  The scariest thing of all, is that he is raising a young son.  My coworkers backwards views about women and equality will survive another generation.

The #METOO Movement isn't enough.  It's not entering into our 'regular Jill' lives.  Sexual harassment in the workplace, on transit, in the grocery store and on the street are just as prevalent as they ever were.  Men clearly are not contemplating that we have had enough.  What saddens me most is that these are not ol' timers, ready to kick the bucket and have their fucked up opinions perish with them.  These are men in their thirties.  Men rearing offspring.  Men with wives who are kept down and brushed aside.  Men I face everyday in every facet of my life.

If you as a man are reading this and think you have no blame to bear, think again.  Think about every inconsiderate interaction and fear based nonsense that has spewed from your mouth at some time or another against a women.  We are not against men.  We want you to join us on the evolutionary plateau as we shirk this debilitating social engineering and enter into the next phase of humanity.  If you're not ready, we can hold your hand as we've done a thousand times before.  But the steps are happening with or without you as there will be no more waiting.  No more silence.  You will not be met with aggression but intellect and the dulcet tones of ones wiser than you.  My mouth will open and it won't be for your cock.  It won't be as frightening as you perceive.  It may hurt at first.  I promise you'll like it.  Just take the tip of what I have to offer you.  I'll go slow.  As you become more comfortable, that's when the reality sets in.  You may squirm and squeal and protest, but our evolution is inevitable.  It's only a matter of time.  Now wipe your chin and let's get you something shiny to wear.