What It'd Be Like If Women Catcalled Men
This is for all of the guys out there who just can't take a hint.
When it comes to catcalling on the streets, the amount of disrespect that women get is insane. Let me set the scene for you here. A few days ago, while I was on my way to meet a few pals for dinner, I was stopped by a guy on the street who wanted to "get to know me". Headphones in and music blasting, I kept walking because I just wasn't in the mood for small talk (also, I had Echosmith's "Cool Kids" on replay so there was no way I was stopping). This stranger obviously didn't get the hint and decided that walking after me was the next best option. After I gave him a curt "no, thank you" — while silently freaking out — I then tried to cross the street. Only, he decided that he was going to get me to stop one way or another.
Literally.
I'm talking about a full on pull on the arm (that ended up ripping my headphones out and dropping my purse on the ground). I don't know what was worse: The fact that he clearly didn't understand what personal boundaries were or that the people around me had little to no reaction whatsoever. I STILL can't get over the feeling of being manhandled and disrespected by a total stranger and creep just for the sake of a lewd comment.
When I first saw Buzzfeed's satirical video on the catcalling that woman face almost everyday, I have to say that I couldn't help but shake my head. The fact that we even need to have a video where the roles are reversed just to highlight why this is not okay in the first place speaks volumes. As I went through some of the comments, it made it even harder to believe that some people (both women and men) didn't get what was wrong, chucking it to the 'feminist crybabies'.
I'm sorry but there is a major difference between getting a compliment and being harassed. Can you imagine having to go through this on a daily basis? When you're heading to school? How about when you're on your way to work, caged in on the train with no way out besides pretending that you can't hear the comments or see the equally creepy stares? Even though I get what Buzzfeed was trying to do with this, it doesn't even scratch the surface of just how serious and scary the sexual harassment that women go through is.
Honestly, I think it's about time that someone tells it like it really is.