Boys Need The Burqa On The Bus

Okay, once again, it happens to me, so I have to fix it. It's my place in life. And, since boys don't seem to have any sense, we have to control them every moment. It's not girls who need the burqa, but boys.

Anyway, somebody in Port Angeles has a cute blond kid who slops down into a bus seat with his legs spread, so he touches the other person (yes, we know, men taking up more than their share of space on public transit has already come to the world's notice), and then puts his hand on the seat and fingers start... wandering. 

Women who stab or punch boys get prosecuted. Old ladies who stand up and protest get ridiculed. So - cute boys in Port Angeles, I'm sorry, but you have to either sit by yourselves, or with your friends - or stand up. You can't be allowed to sit with women, or girls, and this is why.

Here we go.  Just sent this email to the listed emails (and if you feel like copying, please do). I get this on the bus again, I'm stopping it, removing the next boy or man, and standing up and giving a lecture on bus manners - first welcoming anybody who wants to film, photo, or Facebook it. And pissing off everybody who is trying to make the Sappho connection. 

And I was called by the supervisor of Clallam Transit, and by the time I was done praising his system and then describing a scenario in which a girl gets finger-played, then a gang of boys get off at her forest stop, and the peer-monkey stupidity - well, let's just say I scared the hell out of the man. He knows it can happen, and a bus is like a hotel - it happens on your watch, you get the lawsuit.

To: mdoherty@co.clallam.wa.us; sheriff@co.clallam.wa.us; cbaron@forksforum.com; mnichols@co.clallam.wa.us; jsmillie@peninsuladailynews.com; pahsinfo@portangelesschools.org; john.brewer@peninsuladailynews.com

Subject: Girls and Women under threatDate: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 09:04:07 -0700

"Hello --

As more and more people ride the Clallam County busses, more and more women and girls are going to be exposed to a long-running threat: boys and men who sit down or stand beside them and not only push into the female personal space but begin to grope or handle.

This is an old - and extensive - problem on all public transit, in all cities and towns, worldwide.

Women and girls cannot respond with violence or immediate reporting, because they will be prosecuted and ridiculed.

The Sheriff's office needs to work with the bus system to place advertising-block announcements in the buses, with contact numbers, so a female rider can report abuse in privacy and safety. On-board cameras are expensive, but not as expensive as lawsuits.

The extant posted lists of "unacceptable" behaviors on the busses and at transit stops, while well-thought-out and extensive, does not include prohibition of the man-handling of fellow passengers.

Riders need to be aware that such attacks begin by slow nudging or pushing into the woman's space, and then careful, secret extension of fingers or feet. It can even, among standing males, include touching the female with the crotch.

Please address this problem, as I know our excellent transit and police services, and all our caring public officials, will be eager to do. 

Thank you."

CC To Community Leaders, Sheriff's Office, Transit and School leaders.