Meow

Cat calling is one of my favorite topics. I'm sure anyone who has read this blog for any length of time just might have been able to guess that. It's typically quite an awkward experience. Firstly, who honestly expects to get what they are asking for in a cat call? "Hey baby, bring that sweet ass over here." Oh, sure. If you hadn't requested, I never would have but now since you've asked.... okay. You got it! Secondly, I don't think I've ever met anyone who enjoys being disrespected. Cat calling is disrespectful. Therefore, the majority of people, who see cat calling as disrespectful, do not like it. The end. (It also stems from certain parts of the culture of relations between men and women, i.e. women as a gender being largely subordinate to, dependent upon, and threatened by men.)

Amanda, my blog mate, and her roommate contemplated addressing cat callers instead of ignoring them with a very un-coy, loud and dramatic, "Why helloooo, cat caller!" I have recently instated the thumbs down, generally. But the impetus for today's thoughts are being very tamely cat-called this morning. I don't even think I'd call it a cat call. Let's set the scene.

I was walking over the bridge and close to the top of the bridge walking toward Cambridge. Suddenly, this biker, headed in the opposite direction and looking both tired from biking up the incline and quite dapper in his yellow reflective jacket, helmet, thick socks pulled up to his knees and backpack, likely containing the clothes he'd wear after arriving at his office, says, "You look cute today." I was caught off guard and didn't know whether to ignore him, thank him, or tell him I really didn't care what he thought...  but he was already well on his way to the other side of the river, which left me pondering cat calling.

This particular instance felt less like a disrespectful violation or ridiculous attempt at solicitation for sex and more like a genuine compliment between strangers. If someone I knew had said this, I absolutely would consider it a compliment and say thank you.

Tame and relatively polite as it was, it still left me a little bristled. I can't help but think about how unwanted cat calls are, even this one. The time of day, neighborhood, intersection of race and sexual orientation with womanhood as well as countless other factors can completely change the tone of cat calls and also drastically increase the chances of it actually being a dangerous situation. And being in danger, or having your mobility limited to certain times of day or places, simply due to your gender is infuriating to say the least.

I don't really know what to do about cat calling, but deemed these thoughts and links worth sharing. What about you? How do you feel about cat calling in general, being cat called or doing the cat calling (open discourse encouraged)?

Also, an unrelated fist pump.