I didn’t feel safe after Trump’s election — so I started dressing as a man on runs

A woman has been dressing up as a man to run at night since Donald Trump’s election win and says it makes her feel safer.

Claire Wyckoff, 44, was tired of restricting herself to running during the day so she began to look for ways to feel safer at night.

After seeing her husband enjoy his evening run, the pair decided that Claire should try dressing up as a man.

Claire ordered a fake mustache, tattoo sleeves, a wig and men’s gym clothes and tried it out.

She quickly noticed the difference and says that when dressed up as a man no one approaches her or catcalls her in the same way.

Claire makes light of the situation in videos she posts on online but she says it is “the first time I’ve felt comfortable running outside alone at night.”

Claire, a comedy writer based in Richmond, Virginia, said: “This experiment has revolutionized my ability to go running at night.

“I like to make comedic videos about the whole thing to lighten the mood but this is really born from quite a scary thing.”

Claire has been running for years but she says she has never really felt safe running alone at night.

Claire said: “I have been a runner for nearly 20 years now, having taken part in a half marathon in 2008 then enjoying it more as casual exercise since, but this is the first time I’ve felt comfortable running outside alone at night.

“I was getting so sick of hearing my husband say how much he enjoyed his evening runs, so we thought up this idea together and ordered some facial hair, a wig and tattoo sleeves to complete the look.

“Of course, I’m not exactly sure if people are believing I’m a real man, but it doesn’t really matter because the end result remains the same.”

Claire says she immediately noticed the difference.

Claire said: “I immediately noticed that not a single person came near me and I wasn’t worried about men yelling at me from their porches.

“I honestly felt like a superhero or like Mario when he gets the invincibility star. I just felt infinitely safer.”

Claire feels that Trump’s victory was a significant step back for women’s safety in America and being out alone at night is something most women are avoiding at all costs.

She said: “When Trump won and the phrase ‘Your body, my choice’ was getting thrown about, I suddenly felt really worried about my safety in public especially after dark.

“I’m aware of women creating running groups so they can go out in larger numbers together later at night but I wanted to take it a step further.

“I thought if men have all the rights ‘why not try acting like a man’ and it seemed to have worked.”

Claire plans to continue this endeavour with new costume pieces already on their way to her.

Claire said: “I’ve already got a goatee arriving in the next few days and have been looking at ordering some chest hair pieces.

“This whole experiment has made me more excited to go running again.

“I feel as though I get to experience it from a totally new perspective and have fun while doing so.”