BENGALURU:Vanessa George, a 19-year-old student at Mount Carmel College with a fearless attitude, has followed her drams of becoming a female bouncer. What sets her apart from others her age is her passion to break into the world of bouncing, which is male-dominated.
She recalls her childhood experiences when she was subjected to bullying for her appearance. "I was constantly made to feel like there was something really different about me that made me feel like I didn't belong there. They would call me by names that were really hurtful, and I would end up crying everyday after coming back from school."
Her first stint in the business was when she was heading the security team at a college fest and found that many girls were uncomfortable with the bouncers on campus. Also, she observed that not many girls would volunteer for security-related activities as they felt it is irrelevant. She adds, "Once at a concert, there was a male bouncer who kept grinding against me and it made me super uncomfortable. I warned him many times, but he continued anyway and that's how I lost my temper and ended up shouting at him."
She feels that only a woman can understand another woman's discomfort properly. Her love for the black uniform runs deep, and she also feels that there is a sense of authority attached to it. "Being a female bouncer is definitely a passion, because it is something out of the box. Also, I feel strongly about protecting people who are hassled at parties."
Vanessa's parents are supportive and constantly encourage her to grab the first opportunity she gets. She mentions that her first time working as a female bouncer was exciting, and she impressed many people that day. This led her to look forward to work part-time for other upcoming events. She also believes that having women bouncers in a city like Bengaluru, which is full of pubs and bars, is much-needed, and it will also be an initiative towards women's safety.
This motivated Vanessa to approach many pubs to hire her. "I have asked many places in the city to hire me as a bouncer but have always been subjected to rejection. They say that they don't hire female bouncers. In my opinion, the concept of females bouncers will continue to something 'new', unless more women take a stand."
The rejection has left upset, but she refuses to give up and is looking forward to gathering more experience by continuing working for the security team at her college's fests. However, she eventually wants to try applying in city pubs again.