I just left the court after serving my obligatory once-every-two-years DC jury duty. As I turned in my badge and started to leave, a man who was walking into one of the courtrooms nearby said, “Hey baby, what’s your name?” without really pausing for my reaction or answer. I rolled my eyes to myself and went down the escalator. As I stepped outside, another man started eyeing me up and down and said, “Why aren’t you smiling? What’s wrong?”

Sometimes these comments feel like a drive-by, like I’m just getting pelted with comments as I go about my daily life, nay, my civic duty. It’s even more worse when people DEMAND I act or look a certain way (like smiling for no reason), just to please them.

Submitted by Anonymous on 5/13/2010

Location: 500 Indiana Ave NW

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