Atomic Grill is a badass - complete with punk-rock attitude, tatted servers and local food. After a few visits, I can confidently call them on of my favorite restaurants in town. And their response to a misogynistic online review has captured my heart.
When someone commented on Urbanspoon that the waitresses should "show some more skin," the owner had a creative response by developing an event showing skin - potato skins, that is - and donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information Services.
When someone commented on Urbanspoon that the waitresses should "show some more skin," the owner had a creative response by developing an event showing skin - potato skins, that is - and donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information Services.
This story went viral - AP, People Magazine, ABC, WDTV, WV Public Broadcasting, WBOY, Slate Magazine, NY Daily News
It's a scary thing that women are constantly seen as objects. Women can't do their jobs without being looked at as a sexual conquest. Or walk down the street. Or go to the store. Or go to a bar. These waitresses are not there for you to ogle. They're doing their jobs. And the scariest part is that people will say "oh, that's not so bad" or "why are you making a big deal" or "at least it's a compliment." That's what is wrong with our culture. That women are taught we need to protect ourselves, when, in reality, men should be taught to not harm. If you haven't had a chance to check out #YesAllWomen in response to the rampage in California on Twitter, please do so. All women have to be careful, at all times. And while, no, not all men harm - how can you know who will and who won't? And this has become OK in our cultural. I hope this is the catalyst for change. I could go on about this for days, but many others have said it way better than I ever could.
Just know this - my girlfriends know what it's like to have to carry your car keys in your hands at night to use as protection. They know not to go anywhere at night alone. They know to steer clear of stairwells in parking garages. We know. The men in my life don't have to deal with this kind of fear, and they may not get it. But I hope they begin to understand - even if only a little - that they're needed to combat this. The men have to be on board to stop this accepting culture.
Kudos to Daniel McCawley for taking a stand.
And thank you for serving the best potato skins I've ever had.
It's a scary thing that women are constantly seen as objects. Women can't do their jobs without being looked at as a sexual conquest. Or walk down the street. Or go to the store. Or go to a bar. These waitresses are not there for you to ogle. They're doing their jobs. And the scariest part is that people will say "oh, that's not so bad" or "why are you making a big deal" or "at least it's a compliment." That's what is wrong with our culture. That women are taught we need to protect ourselves, when, in reality, men should be taught to not harm. If you haven't had a chance to check out #YesAllWomen in response to the rampage in California on Twitter, please do so. All women have to be careful, at all times. And while, no, not all men harm - how can you know who will and who won't? And this has become OK in our cultural. I hope this is the catalyst for change. I could go on about this for days, but many others have said it way better than I ever could.
Just know this - my girlfriends know what it's like to have to carry your car keys in your hands at night to use as protection. They know not to go anywhere at night alone. They know to steer clear of stairwells in parking garages. We know. The men in my life don't have to deal with this kind of fear, and they may not get it. But I hope they begin to understand - even if only a little - that they're needed to combat this. The men have to be on board to stop this accepting culture.
Kudos to Daniel McCawley for taking a stand.
And thank you for serving the best potato skins I've ever had.