Thread by @ClaraJeffery

I used to play in a creek/tunnel/ditch a mile away from my house. Where I would go, at age 9 or 10, and build dams and look at frog eggs. Also where I was accosted and/or chased, twice, by adult men. No convos with parents, this was all entirely normal. #GenX

https://twitter.com/bryanbehar/status/1412484732550488064

So many instances where we kids, solo or in groups, were flashed, jacked off at, whatever by men—including on elementary school grounds. There were no all-school emergency meetings or…anything.

I also started babysitting at age 10.

We took ourselves to and from school. We’d walk or bike miles to friends starting at least in my case in 4th grade. No cell phones, parents may have not even had each other’s numbers or even names.

This is not to glorify GenX. In many ways it’s amazing so many of us survived ~intact.

But girls/women in particular, we navigated a sea change in liberty (that often wasn’t) and expectations that was pretty profound and often incredibly fucked up.

Me, a 10/11 yo, babysitting a 6 yo, literally turning back the clock and telling him, sorry the (omfg) Dukes of Hazzard wasn’t on this week, so he would go to bed early.

I may never have been more GenX.

Sorry Andrew.