Thank you all for your comments and support tonight. While I won't avoid the street (because I can't see how I'll be able to avoid that street - again, one of the main streets of Jerusalem), I'm trying to think of way to make it right. I'm thinking of finding a way to address the heads of the Yeshivas on that street, to see if we can get the message through them - they're the authority for these lads, and a head of a Yeshiva would never tell his students to do what these guys did to me. That's the only thing I thought of that might work.

And just so we'll be clear: I don't hate those guys. I really don't. I don't understand them and they're annoying as hell, but I don't hate them. Don't know why, I just don't. So-called leaders of my country who send my friends to die in vain, however, is another story.

And Sean? we love you. {{{}}}

Night, Bitches.

Shir, whoever you go to you might point out that at some point this is either going to escalate or, even at this level, someone's going to be seriously hurt. Not to minimize your injuries, because I know you're hurting, but it's possible that someone else could be hurt to the point they couldn't walk away.

wish I could video tape it. Cause it's not always just, "Hey Baby." it's a whole string of "Heybabyyoursobeautiful.HeyheyIknowyouhearme.Whatyouwonttalktome? FUCK YOU BITCH!"

Or my favorite to date, "HeybabyIwannaeatyourpanties"

Yeah, that's flattering and respectful.

(I'm pretty sure the guy was drunk, FWIW). And he was too far away for me to beat up.

{{{Sean}}}

Yes, this. That fallen woman is someone's sister, too, you big jerk! I thought I didn't have a hollaback story, but I do. Not long after I put up my profile on OKC, some dude was all saying raunchy shit to me. And we'd never talked before, so, I don't know...my nose got out of joint about it. I said "Dude, what if your sister just wanted to meet someone nice and some guy talked to her like that, just because "she kissed a girl," You'd kick his ass. I can tell. So what are you doing talking to a strange woman like that for?" I totally broke his balls. Which, weirdly, made him more into me because he had this wheelchair fantasy. But I enjoyed yelling at him more than his dirty talk so...

The hollaback conversation sent me on a desperate search for the scene in Garbo Talks where Anne Bancroft is walking down the street in NYC behind a beautiful blond woman. Construction workers lean over the roof of a building and yell lewd invitations to the younger, including 'come sit on my face.'

Next scene, the rooftop, as the construction elevator reaches the top. Off walks the elder Anne..."Okay, who is it who wants me to sit on his face. Was it you? Come on. I haven't got all day!"

One of my favorite movie moments ever. Wish I could find it again!

And I'm reminded that Izzard has a bit about this. Alas, I am not sure I can link from my phone.

ION, I need to make sure I change my HRT patch on time. My whole body just broke out in a fully disgusting flush/sweat thing, and I am dripping sweat all over.

EUCH.

There are some real differences between Shir's situation and catcalling. This is organized. The authorities in Israel officially take a hands off approach to this. On occasion they arrest people they feel are taking actions (such as same sex wedding ceremonies) that feel will are too provocative to the ultra-orthodox. In U.S. law we have a concept call "hecklers veto". In general in the U.S. "hecklers veto" is considered a violation of free speech. That someone will be offended and angry is not enough reason to stop your free speech or other harmless behavior such as bike riding. In Israel hecklers veto is part of recognized law in certain cases. If someone dislikes your otherwise legal speech or behavior enough to become violent towards you, that speech or behavior may be officially forbidden by law enforcement in the name of protecting public order in certain circumstances. I am not a lawyer and definitely not an expert on Israeli law, but it is part of legal precedent in Israel.I don't know what the formal and practical limits if its application are. But that makes counter-action against this sort of thing a bit harder.

Stress is weird. Right now, it's making me think, "I want that" whenever anybody mentions any food. (I just ate dinner, so I'm not hungry.) My senior year of college, similar stress made me feel sick when I even thought about eating anything other than Taco Bell burritos or Cheerios.

I just had KFC, and now I feel slightly ill. Ugh.