On a tour of the nightclub district in downtown San Jose, 20 Mosaic students were stalked by a drunk man. He followed us down many streets, wobbling unsteadily and asking us if we were in the stock market. Not only did we attract an old drunk man, but wherever we walked, wolf-whistles and dirty remarks came our way. Young girls wearing skimpy clothing flooded the streets, and perverted men took notice.
Now our question is this: Why would you want to be a part of such a shady scene? The 14 girls and six boy teenagers were wearing sweats and jackets -- hardly attractive! -- and the things that were said to us were shockingly disturbing.
"Do you want some dick in that?" said one guy. He leered at us as we hurried by. We just ignored him and kept walking, but none of us could believe our ears. Other men flipped us off as we walked by for no reason at all. "This is how we do in downtown San Jose!" yelled a drunk girl teetering on stripper heels.
We weren't going into the clubs. Heck, we weren't even making eye contact with anyone. If this is what happened to a large group of people, imagine how dangerous it would be for two single girls walking down the street.
The sad part is that many of the young women were only a few years older than us. They wanted that kind of attention. FYI ladies, tube-tops with your beer-bellies hanging out and low-rise booty shorts are not in fashion. They never were. If your intention was to be noticed, then you were successful. We saw you, and trust us, we wish we hadn't.
It's not just the uncomfortable attention that makes the whole nightclub experience so unsettling. It's dangerous.
In December 2003, a man was stabbed inside Zoe's Bar, Grill & Nightclub on South First Street. And in November 2005, three people were wounded in a shootout in front of a different San Jose club. Call us party poopers, but we'll stay home and hang out with our friends instead. At least we'll still be alive.
It is an outrage that people today voluntarily spend their nights bumping and grinding with strangers. Picture this: you press your body up against some man in a small, stifling room. Sweat drips down your face, and the guy next to you says that it's sexy just so he can get you into bed. In fact, you don't even need to leave the club. Some clubs in the district provide beds just for your convenience! How original. Yes, you are definitely attracting those guys, but do you really want to attract people like that?
The whole nightclub scene defies the philosophies of feminism, which dictate that women should not subject themselves to men. The actions that the women at the nightclub district essentially reflect such subjugation. It's disgusting and hinders every sense of the progressive society.
We saw women of all shapes and sizes, and all of them were, to say the least, scantily clad. We saw one woman strutting her way down the street in the tightest orange wrap -- it could barely be called a dress. The women we saw wore clothes unsuited for their body types, clothes that only emphasized their unattractiveness. What would your mothers think?
As we passed by the entrances to different clubs, some of the owners told us to come back when we were 21. We just smiled and nodded. Of course! Of course we'll come back! Of course we'll dress like sluts to win the affection of a dozen dirty pigs! What do you have to lose except your self-respect?
Honestly, if this is what we have to look forward to when we turn 21, then frankly we're not that excited about the new nightclub scene in downtown San Jose.