A TikToker’s video alleging that she was stopped in a grocery store by a man who questioned her about her workout habits for three minutes straight has garnered viral attention, with some commenters pointing out that this is just one example of the harassment encountered by women on a daily basis. But judging by the comments, not everyone gets why this encounter is harrowing.
In the video, @fitnesshippie captures the tail end of a conversation in which she says she was approached by a man while at the grocery store. The conversation promptly ended when she told him she is not a fan of being approached by “strange” men in public spaces.
“It’s not necessarily that I’m a home workout person, so much as that I don’t like being approached in public by strange men,” the woman says in the video, catching the end of her conversation with the man.
In her comments, @fitnesshippie told her viewers that the man had started by sizing her up, saying she looked like she worked out.
“context: he said I look like I train, asked where, I said home,” she wrote. “he continued to talk about my body, and gyms, my clothes, size me up, and finally said, ‘so you’re just a home workout person?’”
Many commenters commended @fitnesshippie for her handling of the situation, as others lamented that they wished she did not have to handle it at all.
“I agree with the other comments, you handled this really well,” one commenter wrote. “I just wish you didn’t HAVE TO handle it. Men, in general, need to do better.”
“Yikes, I can hear the stress in your voice, you handled that beautifully but I wish you hadn’t had to,” another commenter wrote. “Much love.”
“POWER MOVE!” a commenter wrote. “I love you see it! (But it shouldn’t have to happen if we could just be left alone).”
Some commenters didn’t see what was wrong with the man’s actions, however.
“If you’re this hostile it’s a wonder you don’t get along with men,” one commenter wrote.
“Lol this just goes to show that if you’re an attractive man this is considered having confidence but when you’re not you’re a creep,” another commenter wrote.
“What is wrong with people?” a commenter wrote. “A person can’t just talk to another person? Wow.”
However, @fitnesshippie had a response for these commenters in a follow-up video.
“Did that man walk up to me and pay me a compliment and move about his business?” she says. “No sir, he did not. Did that man stalk me around several aisles, and then come up to me and repeatedly harass me about what he thought about my body, how my pants fit me, where I got my shoes and interrupt me every single time I tried to speak? Yes.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @fitnesshippie via Instagram DM regarding the situation.
