Why Do Some Men Find it Socially Acceptable to Catcall or Any Kind of Street Harassment?

[Anonymous]

As a girl, your just walking down the street, maybe in a dress because you are having a night out, or you just feel confident in it. Guys, put yourself in our shoes.

So your walking down the street and lots of people you don't know are calling you "beautiful" or "gorgeous". You feel creeped out by these comments and insecure, it happens everyday from strangers. The next day you change to a top and some bottoms and they STILL do the same thing. You feel insecure all over again and it never stops!

Some of you may say "What if it makes you feel good about yourself or confident?" Walking down the streets being called out inappropriately doesn't make you feel confident, we just try to ignore it. And it's very hard to ignore someone when they are shouting at you. Then we'll have some other guys in the comments saying "For all you know, they might feel confident and your only speaking for some" Oh really? Read this http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2358515/How-women-street-harassment-flattering-None-New-wave-websites-reveal-terrifying-reality-catcalling.html and don't try to still say we feel confident, because it's proved. None of us do.

Please, none of us want to be judged and if women did this to men all the time, they would be sick and tired of this as well.

This is my opinion on the subject and I am sorry if this offends anyone, but no one speaks out about this behaviour and it needs to be stopped!

Please take something from this and I am sorry this is quite long. Enjoy your day and thank you for reading!

[TobyWinters]

I get catcalled often. I dislike being catcalled because it is objectifying me. However, I do find it to be a confidence booster and now, I don't feel under threat. Us guys don't have it as bad as girls in this one.

And to answer you question: Just like women, men and all humans have a subset of them who are idiotic assholes. But with men, our idiotic assholes are infused with testosterone and are therefore more likely to be a blatant and outward asshole. E. g. catcalling.

[BuchitaBuchys]

It depends where you're from. And who it is, there are lots of men who are equally disgusted by catcallers and will even call out other men. I personally think it seems to be getting a bit better, since more men seem to be against it than for.

[myTake Owner]

Totally agree! I'm happy it's getting better.

[Anonymous]

I personally don't catcall. I barely talk to anyone when I leave the house especially if I don't know them unless I need to. Though I wouldn't go as far to say cat calling makes all women feel bad. I'd say a vast majority of women feel uncomfortable and creeped out by catcalling amd this is mainly because I heard the odd woman say she enjoys it. Yeah it's in the minority and yeah it doesn't make cat calling acceptable.

The truth is men who catcall (and I mean actually catcalling not men who say hello on the street politely or respectfully approach women) are pathetic losers who couldn't get laid (or into a relationship) if they paid somebody. I get speaking up and raising awareness but I really don't think being a moron should be illegal. Ignore them that and if they leave you alone that's good. If they begin to follow, stalk, touch, or continue to bug you then that's when it becomes harassment by the legal definition of harassment (it's also other crimes if they're doing the other stuff I listed).

Yeah I get it and agree that women shouldn't have to deal with it butyou can't eliminate all morons and making catcalling illegal will do more harm than good (especially since some women take a simple hello as harassment and unwanted attention even the most mundane and non-offensive as harrassment).

[Aynsof]

Why? I don't really know
I never felt the urge to do something like that
I assume it is some self-esteem issues overcompensating for a lack of self worth by trying to be assertive and dominant
Maybe it is a type of social handicap some people who don't know how to properly socially interact become withdrawn shy and such others become aggressive
And on a side note you mention if women did this all the time men would be sick of it too
You are probably right about that
But I would just point out that sometimes women do it too it happens
I am sure it is not as common by far but it happens

[myTake Owner]

I agree with you!

[1CentWorth]

Sorry ladies. I'm a man, and if I cat call, that's because not only do I appreciate your absolute beauty, but I'm also gratified by the way you're displaying it. These beta males can argue current political correctness and turn a mountain into a mole hill, but, push the bullshit aside, if you're a hot number I will damn-straight tell you so. Women should be told they are beautiful, after all. I don't care if you don't like my delivery - I'm a man, and I don't care for complainers. If you're a woman and don't want to take instinctual male action as a compliment to your attractiveness, then fuck off, learn to laugh, and learn how to be a pleasant woman.

[Prof_Don]

Most guys that I know that catcall like in the video, do so for the amusement of the group around that person.

The most I've done (most of it when I wasn't sober), is shout out a compliment to a woman when passing by [ex. "I like your earrings!"]. Would me doing that be considered "catcalling"?

[NineBreaker]

They don't think that it's socially acceptable. They KNOW that it's socially unacceptable, but they don't care. It's bad, yes, but it's not the worst thing happening out there. It's not as bad as the knockout game: The criminals who assault random people just for fun know that what they are doing is wrong, but they do it for fun anyway.

The reality is, men who catcall women in public make these women feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. Their goal is to elicit these feelings of vulnerability.

To me, men who catcall women out in public are losers. The have no shame. In an extreme contrast: the most elite men don't catcall random women on the street. Can you imagine a judge, a 4-star general, a neurosurgeon, or a Nobel Prize-winning scientist catcalling women on the street? I'm not saying that influential men don't harass women; some men (or people generally) with influence will abuse that power for some kind of personal gain.

[castratedwhiteguy]

You can blame your feminist grandmothers for creating this situation. The wanted future women to be liberated and just like men, but liberation has it's threats and dangers that they figured you're generation could handle. So just walk through the crowd of perverts and then confidently give them all a karate chop right across the the neck. They'll all go down like a row of bowling pins and then the world will be safe for womankind. That's the vision that your 2nd wave feminists grandmothers had for you. Sorry if the plan doesn't work for you, but that's life in the jungle...

[Lolipop21]

That's the most stupid comment I've ever seen my entire life

[castratedwhiteguy]

@Lolipop21 Maybe you should do more reading on 2nd wave feminism. Read the Bitch Manifesto written in 1968. Then come back and tell me that my comment is stupid...

[FatherJack]

Never once witnessed this here in the UK , even from building / construction sites , which have a stereotypical reputation for doing this. However the culture here is quite reserved , catcalling is moronic though , doesn't show the man / men in question in a decent light !!

[SaintJonesy]

A lot of these men are also trying to impress friends or look masculine. Notice that a lot of the time, it happens when men are in groups. It's like a pack mentality thing. Public executions work in much the same way.

They do it because it occasionally works for them. They don't just do it to annoy you, they honestly have had success doing it before. Maybe YOU won't go for it, but there are some women (who you might call "trashy" or "desperate" or whatever) who will go for it.

[esparc]

I believe it falls under the social justification category of "Oh the last 5 generations did it, why not us?" Also I found it happens most often when men travel in large groups.

I by no means adhere to either social misconception, if I deem it necessary (as in a compliment in a conversation) or she asks my opinion, I give it.

[Bananaman177]

Men don't care what is socially acceptable.

Men are individuals first and members of the community second if at all.

Women are the opposite. First you're a member of the community, but also, incidentally, you have your own thoughts and opinions, but it doesn't matter, you'll always go along with the group.

[JDavid25]

"So your walking down the street and lots of people you don't know are calling you "beautiful" or "gorgeous". You feel creeped out by these comments and insecure, it happens everyday from strangers. ".. Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, but why are you creeped out by men givin you compliments? That screams bein paranoid and kinda sheltered.. I get catcallin is annoyin, and men should stop doin it.. But, what you are talkin about ain't catcallin.. At least at the beginnin of yo take.

[JDavid25]

@Apersoneitha I agree with yo overall message, but it's a little too aggressive.. LOL..

[Apersoneitha]

Lol.. I don't hold back my thoughts is all lol

[JDavid25]

@Apersoneitha Yeah, I see that.. It's brutal but at least you honest.. Haha..

[Jackblue]

I don't think men would be unhappy if women did it to them. You have to understand that men do not fear women who they don't know. Women of course are understandably are worried about the intentions of men towards them "will this guy take no for an answer, will he get violent." A better comparison would be men getting catcalled by other men, because men are afraid of what other men might do.

[Apersoneitha]

I don't think it's the fact that they fear men... I think they've jus turned it into a thing where if u r a girl and a guy compliments you its acceptable to call him a creep... why?

I don't know... I think they're jus men haters... and a little bit evil bitches who loves to insult nice people

[passinby]

I had some women do it to me messing around. You are not innocent. But really I don't think this happens much, I have never seen it by guys irl.

[RationalMale]

I love that for every "women get catcalled in public!" Video there's a "woman walks around naked/topless in public!" video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAUgp4rAIJc

[Tohhhru]

Most of the guys I've witnessed cat calling were the most ghetto ass dudes, straight up hood stereo types. Its mostly them yet you blame every guy in the world

[myTake Owner]

I did say some by the way

[Tohhhru]

To answer your question they find it "acceptable" because they have zero shame or morals. they don't care, they just see someone hot and yell whatever's in their mind

[A_Bell]

Oh god, this again.

This is the most manufactured crisis in the world and makes us women look parhetic.

Grow the f up.

[asukasoryus]

I’ve been followed by catcallers into my building, the subway and department stores. I’ve had men pull the headphones from my ears or get so close that I was able to hear them WHISPER while I had my music on. This is not a “manufactured crisis”

[AlwaysBelieving]

Didn't expect this comment from a woman.

[MelaninDoll]

why do PEOPLE! find it socially acceptable to catcall or any kind of street harrassment? NOT just men! cause women do it too!

[RolandCuthbert]

Because it is seen as being masculine. And most men would rather women think they oversexed jerks than being wimps.

Many women are of the same opinion by the way.

[Guanfei]

Complimenting someone isn't catcalling.
Multiple guys trying to flirt once isn't harassement.
Once that is accepted, then we'll talk about real "catcalling". And who does it, because depending on who does it, reactions aren't the same.

[Raveagite]

This old video again. With the girl with the massive stick up her ass that can't handle compliments.

We live in a world with child soldiers where slavery is still a thing and this is what she climbs on her soap box to get attention with...

[Jackblue]

@Raveagite I have lived in countries where such problems are common, and that does not stop the women there from being upset about street harassment.

[Raveagite]

@Jackblue Well, of course not. It's a matter of perspective, street harassment is the problem that affects them so it's what they care about. I was just being sarcastic and dismissive because that video and this question, in particular, are extremely overly sensitive.

I get it, I was pretty weirded out as a guy the first few times I was catcalled by women but you get the frick over it, it's not a big deal.

It's one thing to have a problem with something that effects you and another for a girl to get on a soapbox and start a crusade over something stupid and shallow. If you want to crusade at least pick something decent but no they go for the low hanging fruit... Smh

[Anonymous]

If you feel threatened by someone saying hello despite their intentions being entirely pure and being polite about it then that's on you.

As for the harsher stuff, it's not really about you. It's not there to 'win you over' or convince you to go home with them or whatever; it's just not for you, it's not about you.