Eye catching posts on Laura Bates Sexism Project

• I found when I was a victim of online defamation and cyber bullying; I got very little support for the two years I have been there. I would get comment like “she must have done something to deserve it.” Even after I showed proof. My life went on a downward spiral during this time, and I often felt sexism from other women as well. Its not just from men, I feel women are just as guilty of sexism towards each other.

• At work today I was discussing with a male colleague the need for our retail stores to have better visual merchandise skills, I suggested that perhaps we could run a workshop to train the teams on key ideas… “But there are no girls in the team to send on the course” he exclaims “visual merchandising is a girls thing, we cant expect the men to learn those types of skills”.

• I am a 35 year old lawyer with 10 years’ experience. I was attending an argument at the Court Of Appeal, the higher level court. It takes great experience and skill to handle cases at this level. I was waiting for my case to be called and stepped out to use the rest room. I was wearing my suit and carrying my briefcase. I walked past three maintenance workers inside the court house, one of whom said to me, “C’mon smile, it can’t be that bad.” I wished in that moment that I could have been one of the justices but it wouldn’t have mattered. He figured out how to remind me I was there to smile and look pretty, not make law. It didn’t matter that I was a professional.

• Twitter: Just saw an Ecover advert for cleaning products. Lots of people cleaning. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. A. WOMAN.

• People have asked me if I’m going back to work part time now that I’ve had a baby. I earn a lot more than my husband so economically it would make sense if he were the one to work part time. Nobody has mentioned this possibility to him (except me) yet I’ve been asked many times.

• When I was working in a food store, wearing a pants/shirt uniform, some bloke I’m serving says to me, ‘it’s great that you have a job… I bet you like earning money so you can buy more dresses!’ Thanks guy. Really, I was working to pay my rent and food.

• Newly 18, I wanted to give the clubbing scene a try and the perfect opportunity arose as a friend was going to a ‘glamorous’ London club for their birthday. These luxurious clubs make their money through tables where there is a minimum spend however if you get yourself onto a guest list you score yourself free drinks all night. I had been once before with a group of girls and there had been no problem. However, this time round there was a larger group including two boys. We were made to queue almost an hour before being told only the girls could come in and at that only the girls which ‘fitted the clubs image’ (a slippery way of saying ‘good looking’) and that the boys despite being on the list could not enter without getting a table with minimum of 500 pound expenditure. An other club promoter shortly hurried us to a different queue insisting ‘hot girls at the front’ before we were allowed in, girls free, boys 20 pounds. When inside the club is a sea of young girls and older men, the clubs aim is evidently to ensure only eye candy for wealthy older men are let in. I was later told that the purpose of queuing for so long without moving was in fact so passers-by could see young women outside the club and thus be enticed to come inside. This ‘good-looking girl’ policy is not only sexist to both men and women, basing male access on wealth and objectifying women, particularly young girls, but intrinsically misogynistic and corrupt.