Gwen Sharp's 'Confronting Ableism'

This week in sociology, we were assigned to read “Confronting Ableism” by Thomas Hehir, “Lingua Franca” by Caroline McDonnell, “Rape Culture is: Know it When You See it” by Julia Kacmarek and Elizabeth Geffre, “Female Bodies: A Weighty Issue” by Foz Meadows, and “Women and Street Harassment” by Gwen Sharp. Immediately, Foz Meadows article stood out to me the most just from the title because female bodies and weight really interest me. Secondly, Gwen Sharp’s “Women and Street Harassment” definitely stood out to me because there have been many instances where I have dealt with harassment from men in public. I also believe that Sharp and Meadows articles some what relate to each other in the sense that what your body type is can have an influence

The past four years, I was placed on one of the most prestigious all-star cheerleading teams in the nation. Due to my team being well known for winning numerous national championships and world championships, I was in for a rude awakening. My first year on the team I was teeny tiny because I was still in eighth grade. But, my last three years I hit puberty and I started to become “bigger”, not bigger in the sense of fat but just bigger in general. I am what is known as a flyer so that means I am the one who gets thrown in the air. According to my coaches, I was considered to be too fat. I was told that if I was smaller I would be better and that since I am too big it is hard for my bases to maneuver me. In the real world, I was considered to actually be small but in the cheerleading world I was fat. I was not overweight or underweight, I was actually the perfect size but

This article stood out to me because I have also experienced this type of act. I remember when I was at the mall by myself and I walked past a group of five older African American guys. Just by looking at them, I could tell they were trouble. When I walked by the first time they shouted at me “Hey ma, you’re pretty.” I ignored them and kept walking. When I came out of the store I was forced to walk past them again and this time they started shouting “Hey, are you a hoe?” “Do you want to have sex with us?” and I immediately started running. It is absolutely absurd that guys feel the need to talk to women in such a unwanting manner. I was not even wearing and revealing clothing, I actually looked like a bum if you asked me, and yet men still feel the needs to should disgusting things at me. Men definitely do not like being turned down. They start off with nice comments but as soon as you ignore them and do not pay any attention to them, they start yelling rude and unappealing messages at women. This is something that happens all the time and there really needs to stop. I feel uncomfortable being by myself in public due to this harassment that goes on. I want to be able to go somewhere for once without being harassed by