Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Back up off me

Seriously, what is the deal with guys who think they can grab and grind on a woman just because she’s in the club?
Erin Taylor e-mailed me complaining about how men harassed her at the KRS-One show last week. Erin said the problem was "guys putting their hands all over women, who were trying to enjoy the show. It wasn’t just the graze of a hand either, it was forceful grabbing and grinding - really disgusting. I witnessed it happening to several other girls, as well as myself... I got into a yelling match with one of the offenders last Monday and & I had to struggle to keep a crowd of my friends from rushing him.”
Erin complained to folks at the Goblin and was told the guy would be banned from the club. Erin and her friends who regularly attend underground shows are devising a plan to watch each other’s backs and get the vultures (as I call them) blacklisted from hip-hop events.
I would like more women to ban together and create the same strategy at other clubs and parties. When I wrote about this topic a couple of years ago after an experience I had at Crystal on the Plaza, I received e-mails from women and heard from co-workers about the same problem they’ve had at BAR Charlotte and other clubs.
Ladies, clubs want our business. That’s why it’s typically free for ladies to get in because club managers know women draw men. If we start working together and boycotting clubs that don’t protect us, managers will get the message. Let’s join Erin and her friends in banning vultures.
If a guy can’t keep his hands off you, report him to management or security. If they don’t do anything about it, leave, don’t go back and post the name of that club on this blog and on Erin’s (blog.myspace.com/e6000). Let’s start a list of clubs that don’t value women.
What do you think? Is this a real problem here? Share your stories by post your reply below.