If you're a woman, then by now you've probably come up with your own methods to ensure your safety while doing...well, anything. But imagine for a second you didn't have to do any of that and you could just live your life without that constant feeling of fear and dread.
Well, that scenario is exactly what u/UrNumber1Girl was talking about over on the r/AskWomen subreddit when she posed the question, "Women of Reddit, if there were no dangers out there on the streets, what would you be doing freely with no hesitations whatsoever?"
The answers were incredibly sad. Even in their wildest fantasies, women just want to do simple, everyday things, all while feeling safe. Here are some of the best responses:
1. "Go for night walks to clear my head and relax."
2. "Be more friendly to men. I'd also have more male friends and hang out with them one-on-one."
3. "Listen to music on my headphones without the constant need to check my surroundings all the time."
4. "Offer help to people more often! I’ve read too many stories about people faking needing help to lure others in. There have been many instances where I really wanted to help someone who looked like they could use it, but ended up deciding the risks were too great. It makes me feel really sad."
5. "Sleep in a hammock outside on nice nights."
6. "I'd love not to have to lecture my daughters regularly on safety, being aware of their surroundings, and how to fight back."
7. "I’d smile more, make more eye contact, and say hello to strangers, safe in the knowledge that those small actions don’t invite sexual harassment."
8. "Speak up and stand up for myself more often, and not be afraid to say NO!!! OMG, the possibilities are endless. I'm gonna fantasize about this lol."
9. "Skate more. Just today, as many times before, I was at the skate park, which closes at 9 p.m. But as the sun set, everyone else started leaving. I wanted to stay because I had it all to myself and the weather was perfect. Being a small, middle-aged woman completely alone where no one would hear me scream, I started worrying and left. I felt like a chickenshit for leaving, but also shitty for having to think about this stuff in the first place, when I just wanted to skate and be happy."
10. "Take my caravan to national parks alone. God, I would love it."
11. "I would leave my house without thinking twice about whether my outfit might be too revealing."
12. "I used to carry a whole emergency roadside kit in my car, thinking I might be able to help someone, but it never got used because people are too sketchy. I can’t risk myself that way. I have people who depend on me."
13. "I would lie out on my lawn when it’s sunny."
14. "As a trans woman, I hardly go out during the day. I'd love to just walk to my BFF's house if I want to see her. It's only a 10-minute walk. But in reality, if I want to see her, I have to get a taxi."
15. "I'd love not to feel like I have to get EVERYTHING done before dark. I'd go out shopping at night, go get gas at night, and go for a jog at night."
16. "I'd sit on a park bench and be distracted by a good book."
"Women don’t have the luxury of being truly distracted or immersed in something in public. We literally always have to be paying attention to the people and goings-on around us. Everywhere."
17. "Walk everywhere! Goodness, I would just walk for the sake of walking, no destination in mind. I'd explore the shit out of places."
18. "Probably wouldn't need to carry self-defense equipment late at night when I’m out and about. It would lighten the load!"
"It'd be so nice not having to carry rape alarms anymore."
"Carry less stuff every day; no mace, no knife, no stun gun."
19. "Travel abroad to any country by myself."
20. "Walk to my car at night without any fear."
21. "Raise my windows at night to let the fresh air in."
22. "I'd walk slower, like go at a leisurely pace instead of speed-walking everywhere."
23. "I'd like to run in my neighborhood in a sports bra and shorts."
24. And finally, my favorite response: "Just sit around somewhere."
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.