Hit Them Where It Counts

If you think this article is going to be about hitting a guy in the groin…well…you’re wrong. The article itself isn’t about that, but there just may be an interesting story in which something like that *might* have happened so beware.

My freshman year at Millikin University did not start out so well. I opted to major in piano and percussion which sounded like fun until I discovered that I was the ONLY girl in the percussion department. I wasn’t too intimidated by it at first, but slowly little things started happening to let me know my presence in the boys domain was not exactly welcomed. My practice sessions would be interrupted, my mallets would disappear and I would find interesting things in my locker at “the house” (an old house that had been turned into multiple practice rooms, each with padded walls to dampen the sounds between rooms and the sorority houses on either side of it).

The boys did not like having a girl in “the house”. I was invading their territory and it made them nervous. My professors weren’t too keen on it either. They were nice to me, but there were numerous comments and jokes made that were followed up with a shifty look in my direction and an “oh, I’m sorry”. Translation: “I just told a sexist joke and I forgot there is a female student in here now.” One of the professors was a terrible liar, too. If one of the guys said something crude or sexual he would always give them a stern “Guys, knock it off” while trying to keep from laughing himself. Like I didn’t notice.

This went on for about three months until one night it finally got to me. We were on the stage at Kirkland Fine Arts Center preparing for a concert with the Gatlin Brothers. I was playing bass drum and two of the boys – I’ll call them Chris and Brian because those are their names – were playing the snare drum and the triangle right beside me. We had come to a part in the song where I was playing and Chris and Brian had several measures of rests. So while I played, they decided to tie my shoelaces together. I knew what they were doing, but since I had to play my part I was helpless to do anything about it.

Then something snapped and I decided I wasn’t going to take it anymore. Let me just stop and interject the fact that I am only 5′ 2″ tall so when I swing my arm backwards while playing a concert bass drum, my arm would be waist level on the average guy. When Chris stood up to play his snare drum part, I swung my arm back a little bit harder and nailed him right where it counts. Oh yes, I did. And he went down. Brian quickly jumped in and finished the snare drum part while the conductor gave us the evil eye. I was going to take Brian down, too, but one of the other guys shifted the snare drum over while he played so he was out of reach.

After that, the guys in the percussion department took notice. This girl was fighting back. They still made some jokes – like covering their “parts” whenever they saw me and pretending to run away in horror, but still my point had been made. The pranks stopped and no one ever tried to tie my shoelaces together again.

If you ask me if I am sorry I will tell you NO. I did apologize to Chris later for the pain and embarrassment I caused him but I was not and I am still not sorry for sticking up for myself, however traumatic that had to be for the parties involved. (I was relieved to read in a later alumni bulletin that Chris did marry and have children so my mallet slamming did not jeopardize his reproductive functions.)

Yes, this is another one of my “don’t do what I do” blog entries, but while my physical actions were not exactly role model material, the point was that I made my point and I made it loud and clear for the entire percussion department to see. My message: “This drummer girl is here to stay and you best treat me the respect I deserve or else…” or something to that effect. ;)

So the latest entry in the Girls Can’t WHAT? Revolution Guidebook is: Hit Them Where It Counts

When making a point as a Revolutionist, it is most effective to hit them where it counts*. Find the weak spot and go for it. Hitting them “where it counts” simply means to make a strong point that can’t be ignored. If the problem can no longer be ignored then the situation will have to change. Don’t play the victim and be run over or prolong mistreatment of any kind just because you are a girl. Take a stand and show the world you mean business. Get noticed and make the injustice known. You just might recruit some help along the way.

*Be advised that the Girls Can’t WHAT? Revolution does not advocate physical violence in any form.