It’s ridiculous that we live in a society that thinks catcalling is okay. I don’t understand why guys think they all have the right to hoot, holler, and whistle when they see a lady (they happen to think is attractive) walking down the street. Who taught them to do that? Is it something that they observed or were taught? Whatever it is, I wish it would just stop.

And it doesn’t seem to matter what we are wearing or where we are going. We can be wearing jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt or walking into Church and still be hooted, hollered, and whistled at. I don’t think I will ever understand. And don’t get me wrong not every guy does it, but it has happened to me more times than I can count.

I remember the first time a guy thought catcalling and whistling at me was cool. I was 13 and with my mother. I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt and was just shopping a mall with my mom. I remember looking at my mom and questioning why. And she looked at me and stated “He thinks you look attractive and thinks it’s okay to demonstrate his thoughts by whistling.” She continued to tell me, “What’s sad is he doesn’t even know how old you are and you will sadly be catcalled at again. Many, many more times actually.” I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t understand then and I don’t understand now.

And it happens more than I ever believed. I went to a concert a few months ago, and before I even entered the bar, I was being catcalled and hollered at. I was wearing jeans and a band t-shirt. Nothing “fancy” and the attention was definitely unwanted. The same guy that hollered at me outside the concert saw me again in the bar. This time, he approached me and tried to make small talk, but because of his actions outside, I didn’t feel comfortable. I might not have felt so uncomfortable if he hadn’t whistled at me prior.

Maybe one day, society will realize how horrible catcalling and whistling at women is. Maybe they will realize that it needs to stop. But for now, I guess I am just stuck with being hollered, whistled and catcalled at. No matter where I go, no matter what I do, no matter what I am wearing.