Street Harassment: Leave me alone!

It takes about 6 minutes for me to get from my office to the parking garage my company uses. I walk through a parking lot, up some stairs, through a busy pedestrian intersection, and round the corner to the secured garage. Everyday after work, I put my shades on, get ready to walk fast, and have my keycard in my hand. I have to pump myself up for this walk. I repeat things in my head like, “I will wear your skin” and “I wish you were dead” until I make it inside my car. 

Today, I had made it through the parking lot and the stairs, and I was waiting for the crosswalk. I notice a man approaching me, and hear him say something icky like goddamn sexy thing blah blah. I turned around and asked, “Are you fucking kidding me?” To which the man, walking away starts shouting back at me, “no I’m not kidding you, what did you want me to say, you’re ugly?” So I shouted at him, “Just leave me alone!”

and he shouts, “then stop talking.”

I do not want to stop talking. I will not listen to this guy. 

If someone is harassing you on the street, put your safety first, and if you can, speak up. It's your right to feel safe wherever you walk, whenever you walk, in whatever you're walking in.