I think I am safe in assuming many people here have been harassed. Maybe all of you, I don't know. How do you cope with the stress of being objectified by a stranger while you are just walking down the street? As a child (yes, I got harassed as a child... oh the joys of developing early), I would say nothing, and just fearfully creep by. As an angry teenager, I would flip them the bird or tell them to fuck off. As a young adult, I would smile nervously, acknowledge their existence to satiate them, and go about my business.
All of these ways of dealing with the situation left me simmering in anger, annoyance, helplessness, and fearful the next encounter would escalate into something worse than harassment. Lately when it occurs, I simply snap a "shut the hell up" at them before they know what's going on (obviously I wouldn't say this if the harasser was physically threatening). This seems to work best for me - 9 times out of 10, they will get embarassed and flustered, and not say anything, having expected me to just quietly absorb it or to be too "girlish" to actually respond. If they keep sounding off, I simply repeat it. They need to get it through their heads I won't put up with their genital waving superiority- do they own the sidewalk? Do they own the street? NO they don't, and they need to realize I have the right to walk a few blocks to the subway without the feeling of being stroked by filthy, invisible hands. Saying 'shut up' gives me an immediate release - I don't feel like a victim afterwards, because I treated the person for what they were: a scumbag.
What do you do to cope with the inevitable anger that occurs when you are harassed by strangers on the street? Do you go home and punch your pillow? Do you verbally duke it out on the sidewalk? Do you let it roll off your shoulders? Or do you come home and vent on feministing? :)
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I take a picture and send it in to my local Hollaback!
It doesn't make me angry when it happens, I'm typically too busy to pay any attention. It only makes me angry when I look at that kind of harassment on a societal level or read about it happening to someone else. Maybe we should just harass back, crazy as it sounds, it might throw them for a loop and make them think. Then again...maybe not.
Yes, how does anyone cope with a world in which this type of behaviour is routine and continues unabated??? When I was young I was very distressed and angry. Now it doesn't happen as much but I still feel the anger. It never goes away.
Apparently, women's sexuality is more fluid than men's (anecdotal evidence from Dan Savage column). If this is true, my preferred way of coping with male assholery would be to become a lesbian!!! If enough of us can do this maybe *then* things will change...
Alternately: one thing I haven't tried (and it may be too late for me but not for younger women) is to point out, loudly, what a loser the guy is for making sexual comments on the street. Something like: "Guess *you* don't have a girlfriend do ya? I'm not surprised!!!!"