The first page of a comic featuring cat-like people. The main character is a bike messenger. They arrive at a buildings dock for a delivery and are met with a nasty dock manager who ogles the main character with uncomfortable familiarity.
The second page shows the dock manager offering a building pad in exchange for the main character number. She refuses and walked into the building anyway. She delivered her package and braces on her way back down the elevator. The dock manager is waiting, holding her bike hostage in exchange for a number again. The main character tells the man to let go of her bike.
The third page. The main character reels back with a u-lock in her hand and threatens to break the man’s hand if he doesn’t let go. He recoils and she speedily leaves the dock, trailed by the man calling her a bitch and saying he’ll teach her a lesson. The last frame is a wide shot of the main character riding her bike, exhaling a sigh of relief.
The last page. Later that day the main character is resting in a park, laying against a tree. Her radio beeps and her dispatcher says the dock manager called the office. The dock manager accused the main character of being drunk and assaulting building guests. She protests and says that is not true. The dispatcher doesn’t want to risk the clients in the building and removes her from any further jobs in the building. She protests again, saying that will hurt her income. The dispatcher hangs up. Face in hands, the main character looks to the sky in a panned-out scene from the park yelling “god dammit.” A banner reads “I am woman. Hear me roar.”
The full comic series in one post! This is a true story from when I was a bike messenger in 2010. While I’ve had many experiences of sexism/chauvinism impacting my career over the years, this one I hold a grudge for.