Two young girls were shopping in a South Carolina store when their trip took a disturbing and confusing turn. They were approached and harassed by a woman who spoke unintelligibly and seemed confused.
Jemy Garcia, a young social media influencer with over 37,000 followers on TikTok, took a trip to a T.J. Maxx store to get jewelry, clothes, and other items while vlogging. A friend accompanied her, and the two set up a camera and were recording as they tried on sunglasses when a woman approached them. The woman, who wore a white dress and a nose mask, walked up to them and spoke into their camera, saying, “I heard you say something worth $34 was not worth $34.” She removed her nose mask and continued speaking to them, “…As if you could not afford it?”
Confused, Garcia and her friend stared on, trying to understand what the harasser was saying. Unfazed, the woman continued, “And your assertion that it would not be a commodity you would wear upon your objectified body as a woman. So tell me, price your bodies in this T.J.Maxx to me as you view items that you would encapsulate yourself within as–”
She paused, realizing the two girls couldn’t understand her words. Meanwhile, Garcia had a hand over her mouth, shocked at the woman’s monologue. After pausing briefly, the harasser soon resumed, telling them they “smell right now.” She then faced the camera and said, “They won’t catch that on camera. They reek, and I regret asking them questions. They look like this–” She turned their camera to face them. She then waved and smiled before walking away.
When it seemed the woman was out of their hair, she returned to the frame and asked them, “Anything else? Any representation you’d like to give?” The girls, who were shaken by the confusing encounter, told the harasser they didn’t have anything to add and they were “good.” Seemingly disappointed, the woman shook her head and walked away again, telling them they were a “failure.”
After Garcia posted the video online, many social media users pointed out that the harasser was possibly under psychosis and was probably unwell due to an eating disorder. One commented, “This is exactly what psychosis sounds like. I’ve seen it firsthand with someone very close to me. It’s like they’re talking like they make so much sense, but it’s all gibberish.” Another remarked, “I think she’s unwell. She has some kind of bunting in her hair and looks a bit out of it. Psychosis, maybe?”
Other users commended Garcia and her friend for remaining “calm” and “not responding” to the harasser. In a subsequent video, Garcia shed some light on the situation, saying that she had not previously interacted with the harasser before then. She also stated that she didn’t post the video to make fun of the woman but to share her experience and, hopefully, get her the help she needs.
