“The Hatpin Peril” Terrorized Men Who Couldn’t Handle the 20th-Century WomanMore than a century ago, women defended themselves against harassers—known as “mashers”— beating predatory men in the street with umbrellas, or piercing them with foot-long, heavy hatpins. Men attempted to pass ... mitchwagner.tumblr.com

@odd The other day I was talking with a woman in her 60s or 70s who, as a young woman, inherited a hatpin from her grandmother, for self-defense purposes on public transit.

@MitchWagner That shows we haven’t come far enough. I’m considering one myself.