(Originally posted to the Community section at MyMedia)
Scenario: a woman is walking out of a building toward her car when a man grabs her from behind and lifts her off her feet.
After a couple of seconds of paralyzed surprise, the woman elbows the man in the face and frees herself. As she turns around, yelling “who the fuck are you?” the man in question–a stranger to her–runs off.
Would you consider her reaction outrageous?
Would you call her behaviour after being attacked–and yes, grabbing someone from behind and lifting them off their feet, is an attack–unladylike, unbecoming, too aggressive, ‘not model’ behaviour?
Well, it so happens this scenario is not made up.
Not only have millions of women around the world experienced this, as a prelude to being robbed, raped, beaten and more. And here we have just one example, caught on camera:
And you know what’s amazing about this?
The reaction.
A number of media outlets upbraided Miss Hadid for defending herself. In fact, The Sun had the nerve to publish a piece titled “Not Model Behaviour” (after social media outrage, this was changed).
And so, after being physically attacked by an asshat, Miss Hadid had to defend herself from the media.
This, in case anyone is wondering, is what pervasive, internalized sexism looks like: shame a woman for defending herself.
Instead of, you know, telling the women in your life that they have every right to their bodies, their personal space, their dignity, and their choices.
Her Hands, My Hands 
At this point we’re moving backwards. We could well have a president in the White House soon who will have beauty pageants on the front lawn. A man who declares a pageant winner a pig. Women will find (as well as most American who aren’t white and wealthy) their rights eroding.
And all those women who are so beyond and above feminism because you know it’s all about the man hating, let’s see how much they decry the loss of their rights and dignity.
Jesus.
And way to go Ms. Hadid.She interacted with her fans with kindness but she defended herself and claimed her anger which she well deserved. And I’m not going to watch the video again but was it women who rushed to defend her?
It makes me so angry that these people are not thinking–at all. The woman who wrote the original piece for The Sun? She just couldn’t spend two seconds wondering what message her stupid headline was sending/re-affirming: that women have no right to their own bodies.
The excuse continues to be, “but it was daylight, she couldn’t have been scared!” or, “why would she be so rude to a fan?” and the like. Which again, WTAF? Being fan, or the assault happening in broad daylight, does not excuse, explain, nor justify the asshole’s actions.
As to your question, it was her sister who first turned around to help her; then her bodyguards reached the Hadid sisters.
Like women don’t get raped or assaulted during the day.
Or in the midst of crowds–or by crowds.