In Harlem, Sexual Harassment Sometimes Just a Silly Misunderstanding
The New York Times' Timothy Williams tackled a timely subject over the weekend: the continued emigration of whites into Harlem. It comes during a time of record rents in Manhattan; the final push by Columbia and the state to expand the Ivy League school in West Harlem; and a major rezoning of East 125th Street.
The article covers the debate not just among blacks and whites, but among newcomer African-Americans and old-timers who still call the neighborhood the "Village of Harlem." It also chronicles the simple assimilation feats of recent townhouse and condo buyers.
And, toward the end of the article, we learn that sexual harassment on the streets of Harlem may, in fact, be all in the heads of the women it's directed toward.
... Amelia Cason, a 25-year-old teacher, lived in Harlem for about three years until she switched jobs a few months ago and moved to the Upper West Side.
Ms. Cason said that while she enjoyed much about Harlem, she was made uncomfortable by a barrage of sexual comments when she wore a skirt and heels. She took to wearing coats, even in summer.
“It was impossible for me to walk two blocks without someone saying something,” she said.
Ms. Cason said that now she wonders whether she may have overreacted at times.
“It’s hard to divide what is nervousness about being white in the neighborhood from standard sexual harassment,” she said. “It’s entirely possible that if a well-dressed white guy on the Upper West Side said something, I would take it in an entirely different way than I would with a black guy in Harlem, so it could be my perception." ...
Interesting theory.
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I am a white woman, I live in Harlem, and I take great offense to the idea that sexual harassment here is something to be taken lightly. I view this problem very seriously, and experience this problem myself almost daily. Also, the idea that women would be flattered by sexual harassment is as sexist as blaming rape victims because their outfits are too revealing. Perhaps the woman quoted in this article (from the NY Times piece) was subjected to a different kind of "harassment" than I am -- but I know I would never "take it a different way" no matter who was saying and doing the things men on the street are here in Harlem. I would never be flattered when someone says "nice a**" while I walk down the street; when someone GROPES me in this same area on an empty street; when someone follows me down the street as I walk home from the gym; and, like tonight, when I walk home from the bank, which is 3 short blocks from my home, a man on a pay phone leans over to me and whispers in my ear. (For the record, tonight I was in jeans and a loose t-shirt) These incidents make my skin crawl, my stomach churn, make me feel unsafe, and are ruining my quality of life. I do not consider myself a racist, and my being upset about this has nothing to do with the color of anyone's skin. I don't know if my being white has anything to do with my being harassed, but I don't really care. No one deserves to be afraid to walk down the street. I just want it stop. Now.
Good. Then get the fuck lost and move out of Harlem. It's because of ppl. like you that we are driven out of our affordable homes. BTW, I'm white, and have lived in Harlem for 12 years. It's because of ppl. like you that now I have to fear for my home. Unfortunately all the whites moving to Harlem are rich professionals, yuppies, who have a home elswhwere, and just want to spend a few years working and living in NYC because they think it's cool. And for THAT we are expected to give up our homes.