Toasting a woman is supposed to be an art, something men should do with style and a dash of some good old debonair charm. But some Nigerian men do it like rascals and make it subtle sexual harassment. So in the end what they are doing is not even toasting, it is “sexually harass toasting”. Yes, you read it right.
1. Physically touching (mostly violently) in public places because they want her attention.
Traders do this a lot in markets and maybe they taught the men. And sometimes random men on the streets use it as a part of their “toasting technique”. They see you walking on your own and then just come up and grab your hand to say “fine girl”.
2. Catcalling on the streets.
Men could try their hands at an acapella career with those whistling skills but no. They would rather use it to harass girls on the street. We thought we left the catcallers behind in 2019 but alas, they are here with us in 2020.
3. Trailing women down a dark path at night.
How do you not see that this is creepy and scary? Trailing a woman walking alone down a dark alley because you want to tell her “I am xyz by name, may i know you?”. *insert eye roll, face palm and the angry emoji*.
4. Badgering with calls and messages.
Talmabout how they can’t live without you. Bombarding you with phone calls, texts, and annoying video calls. Block them and they acquire a new phone number to continue right off where you interrupted them. This is harassment if a woman says No then she said No and you should get with the program.
5. The ones that resort to insults when women turn them down.
The speed of the switch from “You must be an angel to “Ashawo, you no even fine sef” never ceases to amaze me.
6. The ones who send someone to get your number with subtle threats.
As a big man that they are. They sit in their cars or at the bar and send the waiter to approach the women. And expect her to go hopping along. If the women refuses they keep badgering her and sometimes even drop subtle “Do you know who I am?” threats.
7. The ones that make lewd comments and expect women to take them as compliments.
The Nigerian toasters who make inappropriate comments about women’s bodies and expect them to take it as a compliment. They are not alright, and they may not be even alright laslas.
Did we miss any “Sexually Harass Toasting” technique you’ve experienced? Tell us in the comments.
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