Street Harassment in Mexico City Is Out Of Control – Here Is How Women Are Fighting Back

by PRINCESS WEEKES

Lately, street harassment has been getting more of the public attention it deserves, but women still have to face disgusting comments as they walk down the street. Artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, 29, traveled to Mexico City and to create an installation of her street harassment project, “Stop Telling Women to Smile.”

This interactive protest project showcases 76 short stories about women who choosing to speak out about their experiences with street harassment. It also includes video and stills documenting the six days spent “drawing, printing, posting, and in a few cases, avoiding local law enforcement officers and late summer storms.”

One of the videos shows women of different ages who have dealt with street harassment. Many of the comments are gross, invasive, and in some cases even violent. 

 

“I’ll take advantage of you right now, since you are still young.”

“I’m gonna stick my dick in you.”

Once a young woman was spanked on the street

“Nice ass.”

“I want to some on those little titties.”

“That old lady is so hot, and she has great jugs.”

One of the most bizarre “Little mamma, with your Kotex, I’ll make myself a tea of love.”

Women in Mexico City have been talking about these issues since the 60s, but the Hollaback! movement has brought the conversation into the new decade, and women can focus their frustrations once more. Mexico City was chosen in order to create a more intersectional account of the issues across different countries: “I wanted to find out, what do women in Mexico City go through?” says Fazlalizadeh. “What are their experiences? What are their stories? How’s what they experience different from what I experience? How can I reflect those differences in these pieces?”

The women participating in the project agreed to tell their stories and have their pictures taken. Each photo was then drawn up by Fazlalizadeh and turned into posters. Just by speaking up, these women have shown their assailants that they will not be silenced by harassment and that they demand respect.

Images c/o Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

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