This article was written by Simone Keibler.
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters,” the Greek philosopher Epictus said. Perhaps this is a redundant or familiar idea, but for ladies living and attending school downtown especially, they face this decision perhaps more than others.
While bustling through the hectic streets of downtown, many ladies are subjected to the incessant and relentless thing called catcalling.
What is Catcalling?
“When guys yell at a girl or whistle at them and makes them feel negatively or violated,” defined sophomore Alex.
How does it make you feel?
Someone yelling at you can be a little distracting, and may turn into screaming or even pursuit. Girls everyday have to decide to ignore it, but some may handle it differently than others.
“I don’t really mind it,” said grad student Rebecca. And another student said, “It’s inevitable, so I might as well just take it as a compliment. If someone else was telling me what they are saying, then I might take it as a compliment, so why not.”
Yet, many women report that they feel like Junior Natalie.
“It makes me feel completely violated,” Natalie said. “I usually just keep walking and pretend I didn’t hear anything.”
How can Catcalling be Prevented?
“Men need to realize that women are not just pieces of meat,” urged Natalie. Yet, how can that be combated or spread?
Alex suggested that it could be prevented perhaps if boys were more educated about how to appropriately and respectfully treat women. However, another young lady thought that if boys were more educated about how to respect women, it might be preventable. And lastly, one student simply commented, “It can’t be prevented. Boys will be boys.”
While perhaps walking with guy friends may help prevent it, as Sophomore Justina offers, the only real end to it lies in the control of the catcallers, but help lies with voices against it.
Choose how to respond to it, and know that you are not alone in the struggle for respect and equality. There are still some decent men out there, and we need their help and yours to change this culture.