"I remember being young and not wanting to hurt a man’s feelings if he kept touching me even after I’d said no. I knew from campus politics that “No Means No”, but wasn’t always sure if that applied when two men were concerned. I’d sometimes endured unwanted flirtation and touch, and would say, “Sorry” with an obsequious smile as I walked away, bearing the shame of the encounter because clearly the person who ignored my no was shameless.

It was only after several years that I started getting frustrated and then angry at the audacity and entitlement of men. And it was even more complicated with white men: were they not taking me seriously because the black body, still on the auction block, wasn’t sacred, was still considered common property?

I came up with a plan: If a man touches me once and I’m not interested, I smile and move his hand. Sometimes, if I’m in a good mood, I may even say no a second time and walk away. But for the man who forgets his manners repeatedly, I take his hand and whisper in his ear, “If you touch me again, I absolutely will embarrass you in front of everyone here. Now from here on in it is your choice.” And I’ve kept my promise and cussed some motherfuckers out; I let one group of guys have it because I watched a young gay man tell the three of them five times or more to please leave him alone. The guys just wouldn’t back off. I finally said, “How many fucking times does he have to tell you assholes he’s not interested!” One man, in particular, looked like he could have killed me, but the younger guy thanked me later.

"

— Bill Cosby, Himself: Fame, Narcissism and Sexual Violence By Max S. Gordon, The New Civil Rights Movement. 12/24/2014