A 20-year-old woman was left gobsmacked after a neighbour told her to stop running around her neighbourhood because her "boobs are too distracting." The woman, who regularly runs in the evening with her dog, was approached by a resident who claimed her chest was distracting her son.
Uncomfortable Encounter During Evening Jog
During a recent jog, the woman noticed another woman watching her from her front garden. Despite feeling uncomfortable, she continued until the woman waved her over. Taking to Reddit, she explained: "I ran up one side of a cul de sac, and by the time I reached the end, a woman was standing in her yard, watching me."
She initially assumed the neighbour wanted to pet her dog, but instead the woman scolded her about running with a "big chest." The Reddit user recounted: "No, instead she told me that I should be more conscious when running because I'm 'big chested.' I honestly didn't know what to say. She said that I was distracting her son, that running might 'feel good' but 'men would notice and that's not the kind of attention you want.'"
Years of Self-Consciousness
The woman revealed she has been a size D since age 15 and wore baggy clothes for years after hearing a boy comment on her body. However, she has since learned to accept herself and was shocked another woman would suggest she change her behaviour. She added: "I've been a size D since I was fifteen, and wore baggy clothing for years after I heard a boy say 'did you see her tits bounce?' It's the first thing that people notice about me and it never fails to upset me that I'm at fault for other people ogling me."
She concluded: "I still don't know what to say to her but I'm twenty years old, she's not my mum, and she can't tell me to stop running, so I won't."
Online Support and Reactions
Reddit users rallied behind the woman, urging her to continue running and criticising the neighbour. One user said: "You are most certainly not at fault for anyone 'ogling' you. If they're ogling, that's their own issue/perversion. Never apologize for trying to move naturally in your own body."
Another commented: "Sounds like you should take up jogging out of spite." A third added: "Nothing worse than women policing other women's bodies. F*** her." One user suggested a comeback: "I'm so sorry that you failed as a mum to teach your son respect towards women. Bless your heart."
