"im a vegetarian and i aint fuckin scared of him"

they don’t know anything.

and theyre gonna be engineers. with degrees. they might even get jobs. as engineers. building bridges or something.

and that’s a little terrifying. 

so I’ve been in a constant state of paralytic fear for like months which prevented me from applying to more than like 3 jobs and graduation is a month away

Him/them/her/(usually him): hey, I like your hair/outfit/eyes/etc

Me: thank you! Unfortunately it's rare that I go more than a day without some comment on my appearance though, positive or negative. I know your compliment was well intentioned and you were polite. I do ask, as a comrade/fellow activist, that you refrain from commenting on my appearance in the future. You did not make me feel unsafe, but personally I am uncomfortable when people comment on how I look, because I would like to be noticed for what I say, my ideas and arguments above anything else. Comments on my appearance, even when positive, remind me that I am being watched and judged for my appearance all the time, and political work is a space I want to escape that as much as possible. Obviously I don't speak for all women, and by no means am I saying "no one should compliment women ever in political spaces!" I am speaking for myself, and would like you to see me as an individual, a comrade, another person in the struggle against oppression and exploitation, not just a woman. And as an individual, thank you for the compliment, but please keep comments on my appearance to yourself in the future.

Deep breath