You're disgusting.

I couldn't decide on a title for this blog... Some I thought of/considered... 

1. For the serious: "I am not the object of your affection."

2. For the ruthless: "hey- stop acting like a jerk."

3. For the honest: "I'm at the table next to you- please stop staring."

4. For the plain out sassy: "you're a disgusting pig and if I walk near you, I'll slap you upside the head so hard you'll wish you didn't have eyes." (This one is more the real me-ha.) 

Three scenarios comes to mind:

1. A couple of years ago, I am walking down the hall in the midst of a passing period when this 13 year old BOY looks me up and down. I grabbed his arm and quickly reminded him that if he ever looked at me like that again, I would rip him to shreds. I wasn't kidding. He wasn't laughing. 

2. A few weeks ago, I was at a pool with friends when a lifeguard walks by and this man stares like he's never seen a female before and tells us that "There is nothing wrong with that." You're right- it's completely insignificant that you are one of the creepiest men I've ever encountered. 

3. Tonight, I'm at dinner with a friend and there are two guys (with their moms/female family members!!) who keep looking at me while

I'm attempting to normally eat my dinner. I tried ignoring them but they were blatantly staring. I felt SO uncomfortable. They were talking about my friend and I loud enough that we could hear everything they were saying. It was so awkward. I gave them the death stare multiple times. They were relentless. They thought I was flattered. I was not and will never ever be. I was flat out disgusted.

And now for the rant- females are not objects. We are not dogs in a window and we are not toys to be played with. We are humans. We have emotions. We want attention and we want to be attractive but we are not in a zoo cage and we are not in a circus ring. 

I have been so "ugh-ed" by guys who treat girls like this and I hope that whether you are male or female, you see my point. We both want to be respected. By treating one another like objects or things and not creations of God, we risk our security, our relationships, and our human decency and moral value. In good news, I am grateful for the past three weeks of sitting in a Bible study full of people (males and females) and NEVER feeling objectified. I did not sit in staff meetings or go to lunch with a group I work with who thought I was an object today. I often go shopping and never feel like an object, but in the moments I do, it raises lots of questions for the person who is being the creep mostly. Some cautions... 

Gentlemen- thank you to those of you who are men. Would you kindly remind the others to remove their title of men to boys so that we females and women can see how respectful you are?

Ladies- Can you check yourself in the mirror BEFORE leaving your house? Can you stop buying into the lie that you need to be strong and confident, and therefore you should always speak in ways that are very loud and rude? You make the rest of us seem like objects because you've chosen that life style. We don't want it. We want to be treated with respect and we want to be loved- creeper stares do not make us feel loved. So stop making it weird for us. Get your act together for the sake of yourself and us. 

 Just some things on my mind and some things I just needed to be honest about! Thanks for joining my sassy Wednesday rant. Hopefully you rethink the way you look at people and how our perceptions affect them and the way we see them! 

I sure am! Melis