CATCALL

[6pkatherine]

Catcalling is such a huge issue not only in New York, but around the country and the world. It gets me really angry admitting that I have accepted that as a way in a woman's daily life. Not only is it a disgusting way to get a woman's attention, catcalling also makes the woman feel extremely uncomfortable, uneasy, and unsafe. Why do women have to feel threatened just because they want to take a walk or if they just need to travel somewhere. Not to mention the disgusting feeling you get when they look at you a certain way. Sometimes they whistle or make noises at you and treat you like an animal and it's extremely degrading to how you feel about yourself. It isn't flattering at all and is completely uncalled for.

I don't live in the best area in Manhattan and I've experienced catcalling. I always feel angry, yet terrified at the same time. The thoughts that have gone through my head consist of, "Is he going to come up to me?", "How do I get away quickly?", and "What if he doesn't leave me alone?" And as said in the video, it isn't safe for you to defend yourself because they can possibly hurt you. They get angry sometimes thinking that the woman is degrading them because they are uninterested and start yelling. Some cases even involve violence. It is safer just to walk away and try to leave before they keep on. This is a way of life that some people live and it should be stopped.

[6rkate]

Catcalling is just utterly repulsive, why should a man publicly harass you on the street? Of course I am biased because I am a female but it’s just not the right way to compliment a women. I am pretty sure that all the men in the video know just how annoying it must be to a woman who is simply walking down the street minding her own business. From personal experience, as I am getting older I have noticed that more men are taking notice of not just me but other teenage girls, I mean I am not blaming them for this because I don’t have any right to disapprove of their actions. But why must they make the situation worse by bluntly speaking about what we are wearing. The women in the video was simply wearing black clothing, I don’t think it revealed any means of sexual attraction and I don’t know why men continue to do so when I’m pretty sure they have been rejected countless of times. Women should be free to wear whatever they want and not have to worry about men harassing them on the street, especially in NYC. However I do think that if a men says “good evening” like some people in the video you should at least respond back “you too sir” just to show that you are a woman who has manners , a woman who knows how to hold herself, and to show the man that you are far more sophisticated and mature than they are.

[6ogchristina]

            Upon finishing these two videos on the catcalling experiment and the catcalling reaction/argument between the man and woman on CNN, I am left sorely disappointed and livid. I myself has had plentiful experience with being catcalled by various men, and unlike what the man said on CNN, I absolutely despise it. A compliment is defined as a form of flattery, and "Hey sexy, you lookin' fine today" is not flattering, but rather, offensive. Some men have absolutely no boundaries when it comes to interacting with women , thinking that they can do whatever they want without the women refusing. They believe that the woman will be submissive towards them at all times, which most likely stems from the idea that men are superior towards women. What also got me extremely angry was when the man ignorantly said "If you don't like it, be a strong independent woman and tell him to shut up.". This right here is an example of the misunderstandings that many men have on sensitive topics such as this one. A women cannot simply tell a man to shut up, because that will lead to two things; a) a verbal argument that will include a slew of disgusting words or b) physical assault upon the female by the male which, according to the female on CNN occurred with a woman ending up dead for standing up for herself. The man on CNN then continues by saying that if that's the case, women should be equipped with a gun, which in itself is a ridiculous thought. All in all, women shouldn't have to walk out of their house fearing harassment by men, and they shouldn't need a firearm to protect them self.                       

[6rsonya]

Catcalling is offensive for so many reasons but the main one can be summed up in a word that seems to cause almost every problem in the modern world: entitlement. The reason catcalling is so offensive is that it is because men who do it feel that they are entitled to comment on a body that is not their own. They feel that their opinion about my outfit or my face or my boobs is so important that it overrides my comfort or my sense of safety. When I am walking down the street and I hear a whistle or an adult male voice say "Nice tits," or "Smile!" I feel immediately unsafe and uncomfortable in my own skin. I grip my keys in my pocket and I walk faster, but I can't run because that apparently invites a chase. I hate that I have to think about what I wear and whether or not it is going to attract the wrong kind of attention. I hate that men who are old enough to be my father are able to comment on my body without any ramifications. The worst part of hearing a catcall is the feeling that your body no longer belongs to you. I am so incredibly impressed when women fight back and take their bodies back. 

[6hkaterina]

Catcalling makes every woman uncomfortable. Personally, it actually scares me. In the last few weeks with multiple performances/rehearsals, I have gotten home late. I have walked home around 10 pm alone, and during these nights (and days too) I have been whistled at, have had comments made. These comments concern me greatly because you never know how insane this guy is. Is he going to follow you or go ahead and attack you possibly? Just like in these two situations, thinkprogress.org/health/2014/10/09/3578215/street-harassment-escalates/, there is no way to avoid it. It has to do with being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Street harassment is an extremely concerning thing for women.

[3pisabella]

I agree with all others who have posted before me. Not only is catcalling annoying it is a form of disrespect towards all victims.
I have experienced many forms of catcalling in my life and have been left insulted and self conscious. The other day I had decided to wear a skirt to school in lieu of spring approaching. When I entered the train I immediately felt eyes on me. I looked around to see who was staring at me and it was a group of old creepy men. Not only did I feel uncomfortable, I felt self conscious at the type of clothing I decided to wear that day. As I continued my ride I had to switch to the A train, the men followed. The train was unusually empty that day which made me feel anxious. Finally after about ten minutes one of the men decided to approach me. He called me "beautiful" in broken english and threw a dollar at me. Later that day I asked my mom what this action meant and she had compared this to something men would do to women at a strip club. Being compared a stripper on my way to school was the ultimate form of disrespect. I gave no reaction, left the dollar on the floor and immediately got of the train and waited for the next. Not only was this insulting, but did this man actually think he was going to get somewhere with me? What does this man even  gain from these actions?
Women and men everywhere should not have to encounter such blasphemous situations while going about their day. We should be able to feel safe in public environments and not have to deal with such perverted people based on who happens to be around us.

[10slena]

I agree with what everyone has been saying. Catcalling is absolutely NOT a compliment. Why would I want men twice or three times my age to sexualize me as I walk down the street? It should be viewed as the sexual harassment that it is, so why isn't it? Because of the men shown in the videos above, and all other men like them. Until men understand that it is an extremely demeaning and uncomfortable thing for women, it will never stop. I also believe that catcalling leads to physical harassment, as on several occasions, when I've ignored men's catcalls, they've grabbed me to get my attention. I simply don't understand how ANYONE - man or woman - could see this as a positive thing. You don't see women catcalling men, which shows how it purely is a sexist thing. Men believe that they have the RIGHT to objectify women - even strangers - in a sexual aspect. I'm 17 years old and I've been dealing with older men verbally harassing me on the street since I was 12. This should not be a reality. If a man sexually comments on you, that's harassment. If they touch you, that's harassment. If they follow you down the street, that's harassment. It's as simple as that. It never has been, and never will be, a compliment.

[6bvictoria]

I agree with the comment above. I think that as a victim of catcalling (as unfortunately most women are), a bystander who is silent basically allows someone to objectify women in a completely inappropriate manner. Being a bystander in this sort of situation sends the message that catcalling is okay, that by shouting compliments at a woman that she should be flattered. And if she resists, or politely says no, to keep persisting is okay. I also believe that by being a victim and wishing for someone to intervene is not a sign of weakness, it is a plea to humanity to fix this situation, to set the precedence that catcalling is not okay, and never will be.

[3gsofia]

I agree with the idea that catcalling is inappropriate and to an extent disgusting. There is however a lack of understanding in society of how detrimental this is to the human race. Unless everyone is aware of how this is an issue things will continue to be the same. It is unfortunate that women as displayed in this video are exposed to this treatment without desire. I believe that there should be a greater acknowledgement on behalf of everyone on the fact that this is a legit problem and that if there is an event that causes discomfort for an individual, action should be taken. There is no doubt in my mind that catcalling is an issue, I just feel that it needs to be accepted as a concept and pursued as something to solve. In other words, now that were talking about it, how can we provide a solution instead of staring and letting it happen?