In what ways does a man 'cat calling' a woman hurt her, or hurt women in general?

Answer 1

It doesn't...at least not in my opinion. Women can talk all they want about the objectification of women by this act, but all we really need to do is consider the source...

Answer 2

I grew up in a era when cat calling was common and the words 'politically incorrect' were not even invented yet. I considered it a compliment when I'd walk by a bunch of guys and they'd whistle, etc.---another time and place. I've seen the fights over the decades to get this sort of thing to fall into the category of sexual harassment. And to be honest, I have very mixed feelings on this topic. On one hand, cat calling can be innocent fun IF the guys doing it don't get into cat calling negative things like rating the women walking by which never would have happened when I was young, but it does now. On the other hand, if the woman walking by and the cat callers are calling out sexually explicit stuff that makes her feel uncomfortable and threatened, then it does hurt her in particular and all men in general, when a few act out this way. Guys gotta learn to use their heads...and not the one in their pants because that type of cat calling is harassment, in my opinion.

Answer 3

I don't know about hurt or degrading (it can only be degrading if a woman actually answered the call and lowered herself, really, right?) but it is definitely embarrassing. I do not want extra attention called to myself any more than anyone else who is minding their own business walking down the street. It is annoying and I get these whistles regardless of what I am wearing. Typically, I do not get it if I am wearing my glasses and scrungy clothes, like running errands. Otherwise, I get it in my gym clothes stopped at the gas station, my work clothes all the time just walking down the street and my weekend jeans and tank top/sweater, casual wear...whatever.
When I see a woman wearing provocative clothing she not only gets these whistles and hollering, but also laughs, stares and whispering. It is different, very different.
I do not like it and would never think to do this to a nice looking man. It's low class. It usually happens to me when men are in at least pairs (they hardly ever do it alone, when alone they typically choose to do the look up and down your body and a muffled 'damn'!). I once stopped and asked a couple of guys what they wanted when they whistled at me and they ran scared with nothing else to say. Like I said, low class, low self-esteem...something like that.

Answer 4

When I was younger, I used to get these cat calls regularly and I was not provocatively dressed by any means. I wasn't wearing sloppy T-shirts or sweat pants either. I think it was more the result of being young and attractive and to some men, it meant I was fair game.

Answer 5

I suppose the argument would be that cat calling reinforces stereotypes of women as the weaker gender, subject to the desires of men. I think that argument is pure rubbish. Cat calling is low class though.

Answer 6

I wouldn't call it hurtful, but it is rude, unwanted and annoying, and it bears the marking of a toilet--trained gorilla. No sense in looking like a creep and turning a woman off.

Answer 7

It doesn't matter if it "hurts" the woman. Hanging a noose on a black professor's door does not "hurt" anyone, either, but it hurts the social environment and it's called harassment. Why should a regular average woman have to put up with extra tiresome bullsh*t from people everyday just because she was born a woman? I wouldn't put up with it.

Answer 8

it's degrading, and can be intimidating.

when i was a kid i often got 'cat-called' and lewd gestures & comments made toward me by grown men almost every time i walked less than 2 blocks to the local store. that was beyond inappropriate. and it was a bit scarey to me, being just a kid. (yeah, so i looked older. but in reality i was only about 10 or 11; oh, and i usually just wore shorts & t-shirts, nothing provocative or sexy, usual kid garb)

Answer 9

"Hurt" I don't think is the right word.

Degrade is probably better suited.

Implications of being degraded run along the lines of blows to self-esteem, (ironic, I realize) in that (some) women feel that they are being seen as a piece of meat, not an equal respectable human being, if one were to internalize the remark.

Otherwise, it's inspires frustration with the opposite sex, and/or society in general, in that every time one of these instances occurs, we realize how far we have to go in terms of equal social treatment of the sexes.

Answer 10

I don't know that it hurts anyone but it's darned annoying and kind of embarrassing. Everyone turns to look at what they're looking at and you feel like a circus freak.

Answer 11

I think it is disrespectful and a waste of time. Has any man ever got laid due to cat calling a woman?