Sadly, we’ve all been there: someone wants your number, and won’t leave you alone until they get it. Blame it on male entitlement, general creepiness, or some kind of bizarre belief that persistence is sexy and romantic, but too many men just hear “keep trying” when you tell them “no, thanks.” Sometimes, giving a number — any number — is the only way to get out of the situation, and that’s where this rejection hotline comes in.
The Mary Sue Rejection Hotline (646-926-6614), created by and named for the website dedicated to feminism and inclusivity within geek and pop culture, will send this response to any texts:
Photo via Twitter.
The response won’t send immediately, but exactly an hour after the text, giving you time to get out of the situation safely.
It’s upsetting that this is even a necessary hotline in 2017, and in no way is it a permanent solution to male harassment. But it can help, especially when an interaction is starting to seem dangerous or uncomfortable, or even when someone won’t stop trying to talk to you and you’re getting annoyed.
Though this isn’t the first rejection hotline, it’s the first created by and for women, and the first to explicitly tell recipients that their behavior is disrespectful and not okay. The number is just one way that we’re looking out for each other, and until, you know, men learn to respect the word “no,” the Mary Sue’s got you covered.
Top photo via Comedy Central
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