It blows my mind that in this day and age, not only is catcalling still recognized as an acceptable, but in some cases both parties interpret it as a compliment. Catcalling has been depicted in the media for decades, if not longer — the typical “attractive woman walks past construction site scene” can be seen in countless films and books. The issue is so “classic,” Saturday Night Live has done several parodies portraying an outcast construction worker who is “really bad at catcalling.” All jokes aside, catcalling is a degrading, oppressive and undermining practice that started long ago but hopefully will not last much longer. For a more in-depth example of a few of the effects of catcalling, check out the link below:
You’ll notice one father mention that while the young man in question is correct in his assessment of a girl’s beauty, there’s an issue in his lack of shame in expressing his appreciation of her looks. This is the exact point at which catcalling transitions from a mere compliment in passing to an act of aggression.
While both men and women can catcall — and objectify others, by extension — let’s use the men in the video as examples, and use the generalized term “men” to describe those who are doing the catcalling (because, while it is possible, I don’t remember the last time I saw a woman yell out of a moving car about what a nice ass the guy standing on the sidewalk had). The lack of respect for the victims stems from a sort of unspoken threat posed by the offender: “Be a good, quiet victim and let me say what I think about your appearance to your face, or stand up to me and potentially face the consequences.” While a compliment may seem sincere from some, others have separate intentions in mind. Due to 2015’s societal mindset that a simple “no” or rejection means that violence or hostility is an acceptable response, some of the most empowered women or men may be reduced to quietly accepting the situation out of fear.
I have experienced some form of catcalling almost every day for most of my adult life — whether that was directed toward me, toward a friend or toward another person on the street. While one would expect that most of this harassment occurs on or around the college campus, I notice most of it in downtown areas. This has happened not only in Salt Lake City, but back home in Chicago, while visiting friends in New York City, during summers spent in Boston and Raleigh and in countless other cities.
This behavior infuriates me, not only because of the blatant lack of respect demonstrated by the catcallers’ focus on physical aspects as the sole identifiers of a person, but more so because no one should have to feel unable to express themselves. I have always been against school uniforms, because they take away a student’s representation of their own creativity, thought process and aesthetic. A person should not have to worry about whether or not an outfit may be “too revealing” and draw unwanted attention on the street. If a person wants to wear something slightly shorter or flashier solely for the purpose of attention, that should be acceptable as well, but not in a derogatory manner. Feeling unsafe based on what you wear only plays into the all-too-familiar issue of rape culture, a huge umbrella issue made up of many sub-topics, including catcalling.
I have met many men and women who remain unbothered by this phenomenon — they believe that others’ actions do not have to dictate their responses. While I applaud these humans for remaining so strong, I unfortunately do not possess the gift of letting an offense “roll off my shoulders.” I believe that in an age of equality and acceptance, everyone should be treated with respect and treated like a human — not an object, and definitely not a “thing” to look at.