Statements Women Should Say Viral Tweet Chrissy Teigen

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The ongoing avalanche of sexual assault claims being made against powerful men has been a depressing reminder of the impunity that many enjoy, and a damning indictment of a patriarchal culture that let them get away with such behaviour for so long.

But there has at least been one positive thing to come out of it: more women are realising the power of calling out sexism and recognising that they won't necessarily be ignored. Tapping into this feeling, one Twitter user has gone viral with a list of nine important statements women should remember.

Gem Short's numbered list of “good statements for women to practice” has clearly struck a chord, having garnered close to 100k retweets, more than 260k likes at the time of writing and a retweet from the doyenne of Twitter that is Chrissy Teigen.

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good statements for women to practice:
1) you interrupted me. i’m not finished talking.
2) no
3) that isn’t funny
4) that isn’t appropriate
4) i already know that
5) that won’t be necessary
6) leave me alone
7) you’re making me uncomfortable
8) stop ignoring what i’m saying
— gem Ⓥ (@vegbby) November 15, 2017

To the mansplainers and overly confident male work colleagues, Short would likely recommend having the phrases "You interrupted me. I’m not finished talking", "I already know that" and "Stop ignoring what I'm saying", in your back pocket.

While some of her other statements would provide useful ammunition when dealing with unwanted male attention: "That isn’t appropriate", "That won't be necessary", "Leave me alone", "You're making me uncomfortable" and a simple "No".

Teigen recognised the power of the list, saying in her retweet: “Aside from ‘no’, I honestly don’t think I have ever uttered these other statements and I kind of cringe even thinking about saying them. That is not right. Good post good post.”

Aside from "no", I honestly don't think I have ever uttered these other statements and I kind of cringe even thinking about saying them. That is not right. Good post good post. https://t.co/0kbBXhX9HL
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 16, 2017

Many others appear to have taken Short's advice similarly to heart, with one woman even printing off the tweet and hanging it above her desk and others suggesting statements for men to practise.

this made my day pic.twitter.com/0UCdnd9fq6
— gem Ⓥ (@vegbby) November 17, 2017

Good things for men to practice: not assaulting, harassing or abusing women
— Mirren Gidda (@MirrenGidda) November 16, 2017

good statements for men to practice:
1) Sorry. Pls continue. You weren't finished talking.
2) Do you agree?
3) that isn’t funny
4) that isn’t appropriate
4) you must already know that
5) that won’t be necessary
6) I'm sorry. Let me leave you alone
7) I'm making you uncomfortable
— Kristen E. Sukalac (@KSukalac) November 16, 2017

While, of course, women shouldn't need to carry around an armoury of statements with which to assert themselves, repeating them is likely to make a dent – however small – in the patriarchy.