It's started. (HOF thread) [View all]

My 11-year-old told me that yesterday at school (she's in 6th grade) she was getting a drink from the water fountain, and an 8th grade boy stopped, stroked her back, and yelled out to his friends, "Damn, this girl has some curves!"

She asked me why he would do that. I said that it's harassment and wrong, but that it isn't uncommon, and that no one has a right to touch her without her permission. She said her friends who were with her said she should feel flattered but she just felt weird. I told her that she could tell her counselor about it because it was absolutely wrong. She said she didn't think the counselor would do anything, that at least he didn't touch her butt, and that she didn't think anyone at school would see anything wrong with it.

She has not hit puberty and doesn't actually have curves yet, but I know that skinny on-the-cusp-of-puberty girls fit a societal beauty standard. And probably especially to boys around the same age. But the boy already thinks it's OK to touch her and say something.

I just feel bad that it's started for her already. And that she already feels powerless about it. I knew it would happen soon. I remember. I have to somehow encourage her to feel powerful.

Just a vent.