Have you ever found yourself sitting across a subway car from a gross guy who keeps making lewd gestures, or worse, exposes himself to you? Many women have. Although “subway flashers” are often dismissed as drunks and lechers who, for some inexplicable reason, think complete strangers are just delighted to see their package, anyone who’s been a victim knows that’s not the intent. The flasher’s intention is to make the victim feel mildly threatened and wonder how far he’s willing to take this — usually as punishment for rebuffing his earlier, more subtle advances.
You’d think that feminists would reject this tactic in any form. But Jessica Valenti, a prominent feminist writer and founder of Feministing.com, thinks it’s a fantastic idea and suggested that her Twitter followers should do exactly that to teach Hobby Lobby a lesson. “Maybe women should organize a safe-sex f***-in at every Hobby Lobby across the country,” she Tweeted. “In the glitter aisle. JUST A THOUGHT.”
Let’s be clear: exposing your private parts to unsuspecting shoppers and forcing them to watch sex acts they don’t want to see is harassment. I don’t see how Valenti’s mindset is much different from the guy who flashes women on the subway, or a guy who pressures girls into sending nude pictures of themselves… “or else!” After all, she said herself this is supposed to be Hobby Lobby’s comeuppance for not giving feminists what they want.
Valenti will no doubt defend herself by saying she’s “just kidding,” and I’m sure she is. (Defenders will also say it’s “just a joke” and to get over it, which I suspect they wouldn’t say if a bunch of bitter men proposed striking back at a feminist-friendly company this way. In fact, I think the term “rape culture” would come up a lot.)
But in all seriousness, I give it a week before one of her fans does exactly what she suggested in an effort to make random shoppers and Hobby Lobby employees feel intimidated. I predict nudity will be involved, if not more… much too much more.
What a great advertisement for feminism.