History of Feminism
In reply to the discussion: What I learned today on DU: [View all]KitSileya
(4,035 posts)when I was in 5th grade, I had two boys in my class that decided they were in love with me (more in competition with each other than any serious regard for me) and they pretty much made the whole school year hell. In the end, I took to shrieking loudly every time they got close to me, and the adults thought it was the most precious thing ever - being pinched and petted and touched was just a way for them to show their puppy love, doncha know. One of them molested me with his brother and a friend, as they grabbed me and held me on their laps, touching and tickling me, and even with plenty of people, including my own father, walking past, they didn't react because I was laughing. And being tickled is also something people must put up with even if they hate it and feel it violates their bodily autonomy, because, of course, they wouldn't laugh if they didn't like it?
We teach girls that their bodies aren't their own, that they have to let any random dude kiss them, and it starts with kids this young and younger. The principal is giving all the children in that school a powerful lesson in what happens if you touch someone inappropriately, and it is a much needed lesson.