It’s no rare occurrence when a woman is walking down the street and she gets whistled at. She flicks her hair and holds her head high and keeps on walking. But then there’s the man who calls out, “oooh girl” and “lookin’ good!” and suddenly the mood changes.That’s right, we’re talking catcalling.
Five months ago the internet went crazy over the viral video of the woman who wore a camera on her for a day in New York, capturing a day full of catcalls. At first people were stunned, but then controversy arose over who was sponsoring the video and whether it was real or not. Although the video was created by Hollaback!, a non-profit working to end street harassment, one thing was for sure; it was accurate.Another question that arose with this video was the argument that this only happens in big cities. On a regional scale, yes we’ve been hooted and hollered at in Minneapolis, but to put this argument in the ground, we surveyed women (and men) in the Winona area to see if this is happening on our own stomping grounds.
Out of 23 female responses, 92% said that they have in fact been catcalled in Winona. It happens at the bars, walking down the street, at the gym, on campus, with or without friends by your side..“It just happened today walking through campus!”, said Rachel, a senior at WSU. “I have experienced it while out downtown and just brushed it off because I was downtown and expect it, not that it makes it okay, but today I was walking to class and I was catcalled. It made me mad and I actually flipped the bird at the group of guys. Not the right time or place.” While some women can see catcalling as a form of flattery, the majority opinion was that it makes us feel uncomfortable and even scared at times.“It makes me uncomfortable, and honestly a little terrified. I know men in cars aren’t actually doing it because they want to pursue me or flatter me. It’s like a little form of power play, where they establish the fact that they have power to make me feel small.” said Callie, a senior at WSU, “If they are on the street calling at me, if I respond, they take it as an invitation to pursue me, which is terrifying, and if I don’t, they get hostile and sometimes call me a b**ch. Either way I lose. Catcalling is a form of gender based violence, and can make women feel threatened for their safety. Its not okay.” What is it that makes men want to call out to women, even if they claim it is with good intentions? While the majority of our male responses said that a catcall is only meant to be innocent, women are actively saying “we don’t like this” and it continues. When we asked our male audience, “Why do you think men catcall women?” responses included, “to boost their self esteem or assert themselves to others”, for “a sense of sexual entitlement over women’s bodies”, and “something they do with their buddies just to get a laugh”.All of these responses had one thing in common, they do so because it benefits them in some way, but when it is at the expense of a woman’s comfort to walk down the street, it’s time to find a new hobby.“I believe that they do it because they want to prove something their friends, because it happens a lot with a group of men in a car or on the street,” said Madi, a junior at WSU. “They also may think that they are being complementary but in reality it is only focusing on what the woman’s body is doing for his pleasure. It is not a compliment if you are afraid to stand up for yourself because you are afraid of being hurt/killed for it. In October, a 27 year old woman was killed in Detroit for not responding to a catcall the way the man wanted. This is an issue of women’s rights, safety, and everyday life that needs to be talked about.Scott, a WSU junior says, “Men who catcall do so because they lack the confidence necessary to strike up a normal conversation with someone they are attracted to.” I think I speak for all women when I say that we love a good compliment. The power of a compliment can turn your entire day around. If you think we look good, tell us! If you want to know our name, ask! There is nothing better than a genuine and kind statement, and I guarantee that will lead to an introduction, and possibly a phone number too.