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[SEXED UP: how society sexualizes us and how we can fight back by Julia Serano]

[ch 3: unwanted attention]

Serano discusses street harassment.

it violates two well-established societal norms:
- there are customs for how, when, and where to express sexual/romantic interest
- it is generally considered a breach of protocol to impose on someone with whom you are not acquainted

perhaps because they recognize these violations, street harassers often rationalize their remarks as being complimentary or sincere. but if this were true, such comments should be wholly positive - and they are not. even the "good" comments, Serano notes, "were often highly specific evaluations of my body or appearance that veered into the realm of invasiveness."

additionally, in her experience, acknowledging the "good" comments often lead to escalation to "bad and ugly" ones.