Why the Woman Crossed the Road

The news this week has been filled with headlines about Brock Turner and rape culture.  As a woman and a mother of two girls, it has been a stark reminder of what it is like to live in this world dominated by violence, sexism, and “good ‘ol boy” attitudes.  Growing up in the South, I’ve been groomed to accept that I should always take a man with me when negotiating car sales, arranging house repairs, or hiring lawn maintenance crews.  I automatically park in well-lit parking spaces as close to the store as possible if  grocery shopping at night and I lock my doors as soon as I get in my vehicle to leave.    I’m not surprised when my husband calls to check on us when the girls and I walk home from the park at dusk.   As a teenager and young adult, I was never surprised to hear the catcalls of men driving by while I was jogging near the road – it was just expected that if you were female, men would holler at you.