Hello from Shrill Society!

It’s something we’re all too familiar with. In an international survey by Cornell University, 85 percent of American women reported experiencing street harassment by age 17. The same study showed that initial feelings of anxiety, anger, and fear from street harassment can give way to depression and low self-esteem. WTF?!?! The theme of our Nasty Woman planner in May is combating harassment in all its forms, and there’s no better time to call out these long-term effects (May is also Mental Health Awareness month). All of us can recount a story of catcalling, inappropriate comments at work, unwanted touching, online trolling, or someone who made us feel unsafe. It shouldn’t be this way! We shouldn’t have these memories with constant new stories to tell and we don’t have to navigate it alone.

Our planner takes inspiration from ultimate Riot Grrrl Kathleen Hanna. She’s been the frontwoman for Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and The Julie Ruin. At her electrifying shows in the ’90s, women could safely come to the front of the stage and party while dudes were forced to stand back―one of the many ways she challenged the harassment and attitudes of a male-dominated punk scene. Hanna’s music career and activism continue today, so this month, we’re channeling her “girls to the front” ethos by highlighting women with creative strategies to ignite public conversations and end harassment, whether on the street, online, or in the workplace. We’re sharing their tactics, as well as what we’re reading, listening to, and learning this month. Tell us what you think or share recommendations with us of women who rock at hi@shrillsociety.com.

xo,

Amanda + Cameron

What we’re reading

This week, Vox published a pretty chilling article about workplace harassment. The good news? In the #MeToo era, more women than ever are feeling empowered to report harassment. The bad, horrible, make-you-want-to-scream news? More than ever are being fired for speaking up. Victoria Lipnic, acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, called retaliation “the next frontier in terms of what we need to deal with on the harassment front.” Read the article to get up on the numbers, the latest in legislation, and what more needs to happen. The bottom line: women need more power at work.

And while you’re feeling worked up, read Monica Hesse’s new piece on the latest trend in cultural fuckery―“crasslighting.” It’s something you’ve maybe experienced and also never wanted to think existed. Sorry, but it’s a must read.

What we’re listening to

In the world of things that won’t make you want to punch the screen (well, maybe once or twice), we’re excited that Ann Friedman has a new podcast. As you know, we’re longtime fans of her Call Your Girlfriend podcast with long-distance bestie Aminatou Sow. In this new show, Going Through It, Friedman talks with a host of interesting and complex women about pivotal moments in their lives, careers, and relationships, when they had to think about giving up or trucking on. Listen to our May cover girl, Kathleen Hanna, talk about becoming the face of Riot Grrrl, her success, and its unintended consequences.

What we’re talking about

For our first interview this month, we talked with Emily May, co-founder and executive director of Hollaback! Hollaback! is an organization providing tools and resources to spark a people-powered movement to end harassment. Here’s what she had to say about the efficacy of bystander intervention:

“When it comes to things like harassment in public spaces, there’s not a lot of systems in place to address the problem and the systems that are in place like the police, for example, have their own histories of harassment and communities don’t necessarily feel safer with them around. I think, when it comes to solving a problem as big as harassment, it really takes a community approach. People looking out for people is something as old as time, but, when it comes to sexual harassment, they often forget how. Bystander intervention is very simply equipping them with tools so they can directly or indirectly intervene and support folks who are getting harassed.”

Read the full interview to learn more about how to get best practices for bystander intervention, her pathway to advocacy, and the cellphone pic that started a movement. And did you catch our last interview with Ashley Louise of Ladies Get Paid? You can access all our previous interviews any time here.

That pretty much sums it up. See you next time for Issue #24! Missed Issue #22? Read it here!