I’ve wanted to write a post on how to reject a guy who disrespectfully approaches women with ignorant comments like, “Damn sexy!,” “Aye shawty,” and “Where yo boyfriend at?” like the guy from the Mad TV sketch, “Can I Have Yo Number?” I wrote that post several months ago but never published it because I felt like it was missing something.
After recently watching the video “Take Back the Night – Catcalling” by students at USC, I realized the seriousness of all those rude comments catcallers say.
First of all, let’s call it what it is: street harassment. When guys on the street rudely approach or speak to women in demeaning ways that are unwanted, it’s harassment. However, many people are under the false impression that catcalling isn’t a big deal.
There’s a serious problem when people feel they can’t be who they are out of fear that they may be harassed. Many of the students in the USC video talked about how they felt the need to change their behavior. Some women said they changed their walking route so they would feel safer. Others talked about the need to change their clothing so guys don’t think they are “asking for it,” as many rape culture promoters like to say. One student in the video talked about how she went to great lengths to avoid her harassers, saying she was “active in creating [her] own invisibility and really adamant about being invisible to all men around [her].”
What kind of society do we create when people feel they have to somehow make themselves unseen in order to safely walk down the street?
Catcalling creates a power structure. Usually, it belittles a woman and reduces her to a sexual object in order for a man to feel he has a certain power. Street harassment is intimidating, it creates fear, and it’s embarrassing.
Yet, some people have this distorted idea that catcalling is a complement. One ignorant blogger, who must’ve somehow crowned himself an expert on how women think, said that women only pretend not to like catcalling. He wrote:
All I could think while reading his bullshit was, “Oh yes, please tell me more about how I crave my own commodification through rude comments from guys who were never taught manners!”
And yes, I’ll admit it: I do love attention. I do like complements. However, I prefer to be approached respectfully. Tell me I’m beautiful. Introduce yourself. Tell me you would like to take me to dinner. Offer me your number. Maybe I’ll give you mine. If I decline, don’t get mad—move right along.
If you can’t do that you’re not worth my time.
As blogger Anna Nettie Hanson of Girl Who Fought Back says, “Catcalls function as asshole identifiers.”
Now ladies, there are a few things we can do about street harassment. Some people say just ignore it—but really, we need to speak up. Ignoring the guy doesn’t teach him anything. He might speak the same way to the next woman he sees.
So here’s the best approach I can offer:
Step 1: Reject him. You don’t need a fool who talks to you like that (but of course you know that already).
Step 2: Call him out! Reeducate him. If you don’t do it nobody will, and he’ll just keep talking to women the old kind of same way. Break the Cycle!
Step 3: Confidently, with your head held high walk right on out of there. Show him that if he wants a woman of your sophistication, beauty, creativity, and intelligence, he’s gonna have to do better. Also, be proud that you were brave enough to speak up. Consider it your small form of activism for the day.
I’m beyond tired of hearing “Aye Sexy,” “Where yo boyfriend at,” and all the variations. It’s time we put a stop to it.
To view the USC students’ video, click here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: I only suggest speaking up if you feel physically safe to do so. I know some guys do invade physical and personal space, in which case you know get out of there as fast as you can.
A Woman's Worth 