I am a girl. I work in a bar.
I do not know what it is about that fact that suddenly makes ridiculous comments of a sexual nature alright in a blokes mind, but it's not.
I appreciate that yes, part of the job is to smile, have a pretty outlook and be plesant and warm with the customers. I am aware that various punters, drunk or otherwise may try and use whatever hideous line they've caught on to, to try and chat me up and yes, I know that a low cut top or stupidly short skirt may better my chances ate getting tip. I know all of that and yet, here's the thing.
I do not wear anything even remotely inappropriate to work, as we have discussed on multiple occasions, I do not actually enjoy having my boobs on show... makes me horrifically awkward and besides... I prefer my legs.
I've always been quite lucky, apart from the odd guy trying to ask me if it hurt when I fell from heaven, I've never had anyone behave in an inappropriate manner towards me. Until Friday, when, as I was simply trying to shake three cocktails, one of the customers turns around to his mate and say, right in front of me 'Watch her tits wobble when she shakes them.' Next thing I know, I look up for about 6 blokes ALL with their eyes directed straight at my chest. Delightful.
The worst thing was how powerless I felt, I know that I should have refused to serve them further, my supervisors and managers would have supported that decision and the three gentlemen (if we can EVEN call them that) would have been escorted out of the building by one of our lovely doormen.
But I didn't, instead, I instantly fell quite, finished off making the other two cocktails, took their money and then mumbled to one of the boys saying I didn't really want them being served again and asking him to take over. I was left feeling shell shocked and in many ways, a little bit dirty.
Did this make me bad at my job? Am I just being over sensitive? Who knows.
About 30 seconds afterwards, I realized that what I wanted to do was to walk up to customer and inform that, if his dick was where my tits are, it too would wobble, and it wouldn't be half as pretty to watch.
The whole thing just manged to reconfirm why I think the campaign against Page 3 is so important. I was not out on the pull, I was not dressed inappropriately and I certainly was not 'asking for it'. Why the hell should it be ok for someone to make such a vulgar comment just because he didn't reach across the bar and grab my boobs?
The story is starting to get old. Girls have tits. Blokes have dicks. Dogs have fur and Leopards have spots. Can we all move on now please?! Get them out of the paper and for the love of all that is Holy, get some manners, because I can hardly turn around and tell my managers that actually, I don't feel comfortable making cocktails now because 'my tits wobble'. I'll get the sack.
Couldn't agree more. I used to work in a pub, and I always used to get all manner of inappropriate remarks from 'wench' or 'busty bar-maid' through to the sort that you've described. It's not funny, it's not clever, it's just disrespectful and hurtful. Hope you don't have to deal with that sort of crap again. xx
ReplyDeleteLove this blog, really personal account. Have had similar experiences myself, too many to mention, don't think men realise how threatening a comment like that can be. Things like page 3 make it acceptable.
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