the first thing that struck me when i saw this video, a week or so ago, was: why don’t we see any white catcallers? i know that harassment is color blind. well, here we go…
Collier Meyerson: It turns out that the video was edited to exclude most of the white men who hollered at Roberts that day. The video’s producer, Rob Bliss, wrote an explanation on reddit: “We got a fair amount of white guys, but for whatever reason, a lot of what they said was in passing, or off camera.” For whatever reason they were edited from the video, that omission is powerful. Additionally, black and brown women were excluded, as if we do not exist, or are not affected by street harassment when, in fact, we are more endangered by it. Black and brown women, women of color of size, and trans women are among our society’s most vulnerable. Black women are at a greater risk of domestic violence. For trans women, even leaving the house can be fraught with emotional and physical violence. Women of color, regardless of gender expression, have an extra layer of fear and anxiety when walking down the street. The Hollaback video’s omission of white men, and the omission of black and brown women, worked together in an sinister alchemy to reinforce centuries-old stereotypes about who needs to be saved and protected and who needs to be feared and controlled. More here.