Rebecca Landis Hayes didn’t expect to take a feminist stand this week simply because she parked her car.
But some sexist moron provided Hayes with the platform to do just that.
Hayes was simply running errands at a shopping center in Concord, North Carolina on Monday when she pulled into a parking spot reserved for veterans.
A sign said as much.
And when Hayes returned from running said errands, she also returned to the above note on the windshield of her vehicle.
“This parking is for veterans, lady,” the anonymous message read. “Learn to read and have some respect.”
But here’s the thing: Hayes is a veteran.
We know this may be hard for some people to comprehend, but women can fight for the country they love just like men can.
Hayes served as a physician in the United States Navy for eight years.
In this instance, she was dressed in casual clothing, so a stranger figured there was no way she could be a former member of the armed forces.
Fortunately, Hayes responded to her anonymous pen pal in the best possible way in a Facebook post on Monday, which has since gone viral.
I know I parked in one of the Veteran Parking spaces today, it was hot, she began.
I had been in and out of my car several times already this afternoon, and I was only going to be a minute. Besides, the parking lot was full, so I just did it. It was the first time, and I won’t do it again."
I’m sorry…
I’m sorry that you can’t see my eight years of service in the United Sates Navy. I’m sorry that your narrow misogynistic world view can’t conceive of the fact that there are female Veterans. I’m sorry that I have to explain myself to people like you.
Mostly, I’m sorry that we didn’t get a chance to have this conversation face to face, and that you didn’t have the integrity and intestinal fortitude to identify yourself, qualities the military emphasizes.
Which leads to one question, I served, did you?
What can we even add here?
Well played, Rebecca.