Many of us use social media. It’s great for making connections and sharing glimpses into our personal lives. These glimpses are usually achievements that we’re proud of, such as completing a long run and beating our personal best.
While some of us like to share the occasional humblebrag, there is now a warning for women to avoid sharing these types of posts due to the lack of control over who gets to view the post.
A British activist, Gina Martin, was the one who led a campaign to make “up skirting” – the practice of taking pictures beneath someone’s clothing without their consent – an illegal practice in both England and Wales in 2019. She recently went on social media to warn other women to not share their running routes online.
In her post, she wrote, “Not sure who needs to be reminded of this but if you’re a woman, pls don’t post your run route on social media. We are already proud of you for running & would rather you we’re safe form [sic] weird men who will screenshot it and be able to tell where you run and where you live.”
She then added to her post stating that “Changing your behavior because of male violence is one thing, but supplying information about your routine and whereabouts publicly to anyone who wants it is entirely another. As the weather gets warmer and evening runs become attractive, keep your whereabouts to yourself!”
Another woman, Gemma Tutton from Our Streets Now, spoke to Tyla to share how discouraging it is that women must change and adapt their behaviors in order to avoid potential harassment and stalking.
She further added that there should be more done on the part of running clubs and sporting associations to make sure that women and non-binary runners are able to feel comfortable partaking in their day-to-day activities.
Of course, once the post was out, there were many women who came forward to share their own experiences. And it just reminds us that everyone should be careful about what they post on their social media as it’s not just our online friends who can see what we’re posting.
Are you mindful of what you post on social media? Let us know!