Catcalling is not a compliment.
When you whistle at us across the street or shout out “nice ass!” as we walk by, it doesn’t make us feel sexy or attractive. We feel objectified.
Why do we not fight back? Tell you to screw off? Because, we are taught that if we are to fight back, we could be in a dangerous position. Don’t fight back, that guy could be carrying a weapon, he can assault you or stalk you. Be polite, turn your face away and walk faster, you don’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble. Catcalling makes us afraid to hold our heads high in public. Instead, we keep our gazes to the ground and avoid eye contact so we don’t draw any attention to ourselves.
When you catcall at women, you may think it’s just a simple comment, but to us it’s much more. Our bodies are no longer our bodies, but a show that we do not want to have put on display for the eyes of men to pick apart and choose which they like best. You make us feel like our worth as a human being is defined but what is on the surface, and not by what lies skin deep. The validity of our existence is defined by how voluptuous we look in leggings and not by the thoughts we carry in our heads. It’s gross and dehumanizing.
So next time you think of shouting a lewd comment at a girl, don’t. Catcalling isn’t about you making a girl feel good about yourself. It’s about taking away someone else’s humanity and trying to take away power from them.
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