A recent video, uploaded onto YouTube on the 28th of October, has shocked the internet by revealing the harsh realities which women face when simply walking in public.
The video, recorded with a hidden GoPro camera, was produced from ten hours of footage, in which a local New Yorker, actor Shoshana Roberts, walks around the streets of Lower Manhattan to an embarrassingly large amount of unwanted male attention.
The charity, Hollaback, launched this eye-opening video in order to raise awareness of the street harassment which women are subjected to in their every-day lives. Unbelievably, in the ten hours of filming, the New York woman – who wore an crew-neck top and jeans – received attention from more than one hundred individual males from all backgrounds and ethnicities. One eager man, in particular, follows the unresponsive actor for as long as five minutes in an attempt to ‘chat her up’.
After going viral on YouTube and generating almost 25 million hits in under three days, this video has caused a widespread debate across the internet, raising the issue of female harassment and shaming men who take part in it. Understandably, the vast majority of viewers were appalled at the content of the video and the sheer number of males who seek to speak to the woman.
However, there are always two sides to a debate. While some male commenters argue that the video is justifiably “not indicative of the entire male population” and is “extremely biased”, other commenters take their responses a bit further, stating that the males present in the video are “either greeting her politely or giving her a compliment on her appearance” which she should graciously accept instead of rudely ignoring.
Yes, I was gobsmacked too. “Greeting her politely”… Really?
I was shocked to discover that the majority of comments which condemned the behaviour were from females. As one female commenter states:
“For everyone saying, “People are just saying ‘Hi,’ “or “They’re complimenting her,” that is something that only occurs with women. Why is this woman being ogled at just for walking down the street? It isn’t common for a heterosexual man to “just say hi” to another heterosexual man walking by on the street. Start looking at the intent behind the words.”
The Oxford dictionary defines “catcalling” as “A shrill whistle or shout of disapproval” as well as “A comment of a sexual nature made by a man to a passing woman. ”. It’s shocking to observe how, even the Oxford dictionary – an impartial source of knowledge – views catcalling as something done by men to women. Surely, this, along with the video, points to the discriminatory nature of catcalling?
The controversy caused by this video has undoubtedly raised the issue of catcalling and verbal harassment of women to the forefront of feminist discussions. However, it is clear that the internet remains undecided as to whether the unwanted attention was completely inappropriate and a violation of the woman’s rights, or merely a ‘compliment’ and yet another attempt of feminists to demonize men.
Well, you can decide for yourself, watch the video and pick a stance. However, I think I speak on behalf of the entirety of womankind when I say this ‘attention’ is unwanted, unnecessary and frankly quite annoying.
Sources:
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/viral-walking-new-york-catcalling-video-edited-out-white-people-1472453
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/catcall
Image source:
http://www.salon.com/2014/10/29/woman_in_catcall_video_reportedly_gettin…
Edited by Harriet Dunlea