Nightclubs, which seem to have the most subject matter when it comes to this sort of discussion. The combination of alcohol, girls, guys and loud music seem to encourage a lack of social etiquette. Don’t get me wrong, this environment is one of my favourites, and being a university student, is obviously a staple in my weekly routine. But, I don’t think just because we’re young, enjoy a drink and go out for a dance, this should mean that we should ignore the fact that half of the stuff that takes place in those strobe-infested clubs should be accepted. Would you react the same way, during the day, if a guy acted exactly the same way towards you as he would in a club? Questionable. So, following this, a list of things that really shouldn’t be acceptable when interacting with the opposite sex and why respecting yourself in this situation is the biggest act of feminism you’ll probably take part in all year round.
“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” – Coco Chanel.
1) A guy grabs your butt whilst queuing for a drink? You react, probably, by encouraging him to buy you a drink. If the same happened queuing for a mocha in Costa, he’d probably get a warm, coffee coloured shower in his face, right? Accepting a drink off someone who thinks of your body as a chat up line is a definite no. Make your face the first point of contact.
2) You’re dancing with your friends to your favourite song, going a bit crazy (or is that just me?) and suddenly, you become aware of a presence behind you. A guy who thought that you having a good time was his invitation to encroach on your personal space and separate you from your friends, not understand the word no, and decide he wants to dance with you instead. My pet peeve. Dancing, in a club, to music, is not saying ‘come at me boys’. Don’t stop what you were doing to be thankful for this guy coming up to you. Enjoy the night with your friends, not because some random decided you were his target for the evening.
3) Outfit choices. Some girls enjoy wearing hot pants/crop tops/disco pants etc (me being one of them), guys however seem to take these fashion decisions as advertisements. Staring at your butt/boobs/legs, sizing you up and judging their possible success rate. Dressing how we want to doesn’t mean we’re dressing for them does it? Dress for yourself, impressing will come naturally. As Emma Watson said in her latest interview with Glamour “Ignore the ‘no pain, no gain’ mantra.” Because if you don’t feel good then how are you meant to feel confident without needing a guy to improve your confidence?
The first rule of feminism is to respect yourself, and understand how that should influence your choices. In terms of the nightclub scene, chivalry and romance really is dead; so go out feeling great, having the confidence to not accept the worst in etiquette. Enjoy yourself with your friends and don’t search for guys. Confidence really (apparently) is one of the most attractive features in a woman. So don’t expect the least possible in terms of social graces, be a feminist. Go out for you and no one else, and I’m sure that, whether or not you think I sound like a prude, you’ll wake up the next morning not regretting the grotty looking guy whose name you don’t know from the night before.
(Adele showing the world she doesn’t care what they have to say.)