Running. To most people, it’s a frightening word, torture in the form of physical activity. To me, running is my passion, my key to freedom. Nothing beats putting miles of hard work in exchange for personal records. Running introduced me to many awesome people and gifted me unforgettable experiences. Who knows where I would today be without this sport, without the teammates I met, without the meet t-shirts I collected, without the memories and achievements I made. I wouldn’t trade these past years of competing in cross country and track for anything.
Like other sports, running has its downs. First, running shoes and apparel are expensive. A decent pair of shoes can be over a hundred dollars and I sure don’t want to pay $75 for a basic pair of Nike leggings. Then there’s preventing and treating injuries. Are my shins sore, or do I actually have shin splints? Will the pain go away if I ice them for like twenty minutes for a few days? Or trying to keep yourself entertained throughout a ten-mile run. Because running ten freaking steady miles gets pretty boring, especially when you’re alone. It’s certainly not fun playing games by yourself. And lastly, I cannot stand it when men whistle at me when I pass them by. Ugh—it’s more irritating when they call you “babe” or something stupid like that. I hate the way they smile and eye me down like I’m their toy. Or a snake sneaking up on a mouse before swallowing it whole—I think that’s a better way to put it.
I wasn’t kidding on that last one and what’s sadder is that I know I am not the only female runner who experiences this. There’s nothing flattering about it and sometimes it’s terrifying. Let’s face it: most of the people we pass on runs are strangers so we can’t necessarily predict what their intentions are. You might argue that catcalling or hitting on runners is harmless, but that’s hard to believe when women are sexually assaulted or even murdered while running. It’s especially difficult to voice these concerns when we live in a society that perpetuates rape culture, making this behavior seem acceptable. It’s not; I and my fellow runners should not have to worry about our safety when out on a run. I even had an incident where a boy slapped my butt while I was running. Although I don’t always feel afraid when running, it still pisses me off that men think that this treatment towards women is okay. I’m not okay with it and I shouldn’t have to be.
Because these occurrences aren’t uncommon, I want to bring attention to some examples street harassment that I and others experienced. We need to recognize why it’s problematic so we can call it out when it happens.
(Although this article focuses on runners, this does not mean anyone can’t experience street harassment. I wanted to speak based on my experiences as a runner)
There’s that whistle guys do. Y’know, catcalling? Some will claim that catcalling is just a way to compliment women, but it doesn’t feel that way all. By nature, catcalling is sexual and targeted towards our looks. It’s disrespectful and implies entitlement to my body. I’m not comfortable with that and I don’t have to be. It’s scarier when guys take a verbal approach and make comments directly to my body. No, your remark about my ass or legs does not compliment me; it degrades me. Nothing is as humiliating as being reduced to just a body part. Think of it this way: is your “compliment” directed towards me or my body? If it’s the latter, then we have a problem. Objectifying me will not earn my respect for you, so don’t expect anything but my middle finger in return.
We especially can’t discuss female runners facing street harassment without bringing up drivers honking at us. I don’t recall ever meeting another fellow runner who never had this occur to them. To be honest, I probably get honked at almost every week and I’m not exaggerating. Now you may be wondering why it’s wrong to honk at people running. I understand that not every driver has malicious intent when they do; sometimes they do it to say hello or cheer us on. However, I feel like it’s an aggressive way to catch our attention especially when it’s a male driver honking at me. Even though it’s not as harmful or irritating as catcalling, honking at runners is disruptive. It feels like you’re forcing me to acknowledge you. I mean, I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if a stranger approached you and screamed in your face.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying you should never interact with me. There are more respectful ways to do so. Instead of whistling, just wave or say hello. Or maybe cheer me on and say good job. Otherwise, leave me alone. Simple as that.