Catcalling
isn’t anything new, and almost all women at some point have had to face the
uncomfortable and unwanted attention the degrading comments bring when walking
down the street. What some may think is innocent like; “Hey sexy” (followed by
that awful whistle associated with a desirable appearance) may be flattering,
but in reality these remarks make people, like myself, feel uneasy and anything
but complimented. In reality, a simple holler could potentially turn into
something more dangerous, and for this reason that aggressive assertion of
dominance, often thought of as harmless, is actually quite threatening.
Real flattery is a humanizing behavior that requires a conversation between two
people, not just sexual remarks spit at a person from a complete stranger.
What’s worse than face-to-face experiences revolving around sexual comments
from strangers are the sneaky statements coming out of buildings, car windows or
anywhere the harasser can go unidentified. Because they position themselves to
be unrecognizable, this makes one think they know their behavior is
unacceptable and they probably wouldn’t have the nerve to say it in person
If you want to genuinely flatter
a person, first start by initiating a conversation about the weather, current
news, or a book that person happens to be holding......anything BUT physical
appearance. April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and although street
harassment has become somewhat normalized in our society, it shouldn’t be
looked upon as anything less than sexual harassment. Whistling, honking or
shouting sexual comments is not innocent and shouldn’t be something people have
to just put up with when they leave their homes. Bringing awareness to
this issue will improve our dignity as humans and our society as a whole.
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