This is a fun story, with a serious point. Thanks to Chloe at feministing for writing about the feminist contributions of her dad. Yah for men who help end street harassment!

Chloe writes, “I’ve said it time and time again: street harassment will end when the men who do it can no longer rely on the approval, tacit or otherwise, of other men.”

I like that her dad used creativity; I like that he was willing to stay in the moment until he found a way to address the problem. And I agree with Chloe that men have a really important role in terms of engaging other men in these issues. If one of the women being harassed had spoken up, the action just wouldn’t have had the same effect in the moment.

So just as a friendly reminder: Men need to speak out against sexism and educate other men. White people need to speak out against racism and educate other white people. Heterosexuals need to educate other heterosexuals about homophobia. The list goes, on of course…for those of us, for instance, who are able-bodied or cisgender, or who otherwise are in positions of unearned cultural privilege.