Women Aren’t Cats

Briana Marcial, Features & Opinion Editor

Catcalling is an issue that women and any decent human being despise. There’s absolutely nothing flattering about having someone whistle and look at you in such a disgusting manner, as if you are merely a sex object. It’s insulting and dehumanizing.

Usually catcalling is problem that targets women, but on occasion women themselves can be just as disturbing. Normally, society is told that it’s wrong and shouldn’t be done but it’s not just being seen as a piece of meat, that’s problematic. It’s psychologically damaging and scary.

Paranoia and a wayward way of thinking can be a result after putting up with harassment for so long. Men often wonder why women go to the bathroom together in pairs, and yes it might be to gossip a little, but they primarily go together because they’ve been raised to avoid becoming another statistic of sexual harassment. Parents tell their daughters to always be careful walking alone at night after watching the news and seeing another case of rape. Girls walk with keys between their fingers and carry pepper spray for fear of being followed or attacked. This shouldn’t have to be a problem in this day and age.

Catcalling is a form of sexual harassment. So when people try to justify that women are “asking for it” because of what they wear, they sound absolutely ridiculous. Clothes don’t do anything more than cover your body.

No self-respecting person will want to date you or more accurately have sex with you when you yell obscenities at them from across the street.