I was about seventeen years old. I was walking to the store for my grandmother, not more than 10 minutes away from her home. An older man turned his car into a narrow street right before I crossed and asked me directions to an avenue not far from where I stood. He looked to be in his late thirties and was watching me closely as I gave him directions. I noticed that he was blocking my path which warned me that he wanted to do more than ask for directions. He asked my name and my age, throwing compliments my way in between to sweeten the interrogation. When realizing I was underaged, he still asked for my phone number under the premise “we’re just talking.” Even though the next question was, “When is your birthday?” I don’t remember how I got myself out of the conversation without giving my phone number, but I never forgot the experience. Whenever I walk to that store, I always brace myself for a similiar encounter.
This wasn’t the first time I was catcalled. However, this is a marker for when catcalling became a daily occurrence for me at the end of high school. When I was younger, I thought I would be flattered. In actuality, it feels more degrading. It’s like an aggressive compliment that if you take then you’re conceited and if you ignore then you’re stuck up. For many people reading this article right now, I’m preaching to the choir. Most of us agree that unwanted sexual comments are considered harassment. It just feels as though the people who enjoy catcalling didn’t seem to get it.
To help these people out, Playboy (yes, that Playboy) created a flowchart to help men decide when and when not to catcall.
There are only two circumstances they state it is allowed: if the person is actually a cat or the two people involved have clear consensual agreement to yell sexual comments to each other in public. I thought the idea was cute and a good move on the part of Playboy. For a magazine that makes a profit off of sexual fantasy, using that power for good is something we can all appreciate. I don’t know if anyone who catcalls will see this article and change their ways but it was worth a shot!