Top Ten Reasons Women Need Safe Spaces in the Comedy Community

Here are the top ten reasons women need more safe spaces in our comedy community:

1. Because my white, male teacher with 25 years as a highly paid professional comedian overseeing one of the largest brands of comedy made a rape joke to my writing class when I was the only woman in there. And all the men in that classroom laughed.

2. Because one of my friends was co-erced into sex with a white, male comedy coach at a major institution who made advances on her after a show and she felt pressured to say yes in fear of hurting her career. Because he forced sex on her with no condom. Because she felt ashamed and afraid to tell anyone.

3. Because warm up games like "She's hot, I'd Fuck Her" exist. "I'd fuck her with a stick, I'd fuck her with a brick".

4. Because there are no posters at any of the big comedy institutions that say "We have a zero tolerance policy for sexual harrassment and advances. Call This Number For Help or to Report it".

5. Because open mic nights are typically dominated by men talking about their dicks and all the women they've banged, and I've had to sit through hours of dick jokes with men looking directly at me. When I don't laugh - they say to me "The men get it... you guys get it!"

6. Because when inappropriate sexual advances are made by men in power in this industry, they are swept under the rug. I've seen men AND women make excuses for inappropriate behavior.

7. Because when a sexist comment, advance, or joke is made, women don't feel comfortable to speak up in fear of hurting their career or reputation - and sometimes - they just don't come back to comedy after an experience like that.

8. Because when a classmate makes a sexist joke in a scene or a sexist slur toward a woman on stage or off, the people in charge don't call it out or fix it.

9. Because women are getting ruffied at stand up shows.

10. Because come on, it's 2016. Get your shit together and stop telling us to just accept the blatant sexism and harrassment. We are worth more than that. And you can do better than that.