I've said it before: I take comments on my appearance in the spirit in which those comments are intended. It is my perspective that catcalling, yelling at strangers about their bodies, is meant to be offensive, even if the words or gestures used are complimentary. Catcalling is often done from a position of power, (from inside of a car or building, or above the person being catcalled) in a way that the person being catcalled can't really respond, and despite what is said or implied, the result is often to objectify the person being catcalled.
I've been catcalled many times in my life. Generally, if the words or gestures used aren't offensive, I ignore them and go about my day as usual. I don't like being catcalled and never consider it a compliment. I've not gotten used to it, but it has gotten easier and easier to ignore.
It only becomes surprising when the catcalling takes place in a new venue. It's during these new experiences with catcalling that I'm again reminded how offensive it can really be.
A few days ago, I drove across a few Southern states alone on a road frequented by many, many truckers. This was the first time in a very long time that I've driven long distances while alone in my car in warm weather. It was quite hot out, so I was wearing a sleeveless top and running shorts.
Six semi-drivers in six hours made a show of honking at me and, effectively, catcalling me from within their rigs. At first, I thought they were honking because I was passing them and they thought I was going to enter their lane too early even though I gave no indications of that. Finally, after one honked, I changed lanes, looked in my mirror and saw that the trucker was gesturing that he liked my appearance.
Like other instances of catcalling, it made me very uncomfortable. The car I was driving would have crumbled against a run-in with a semi, so I wasn't about to risk flipping these catcallers off. The truckers, above me and in vehicles that were much heavier, had a power advantage over me and I was essentially helpless in doing anything but igoring the catcalls (and speeding to get away) to show my displeasure in them.
I think was most surprised about catcalling on the open road because I assumed that because I was within the structure of a car, physically removed and not quite as public as I am when I'm out of the house, I wouldn't have to worry about people objectifying me as much. That assumption is dead wrong.
Has anyone experienced this type of catcalling? Are there any effective strategies to show displeasure at catcalling that won't get me squished like a bug if I happen to run up against a trucker with a rage problem? Is catcalling on the road better/worse/similar to other kinds of catcalling? What are your thoughts?
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Catcalling and the Open Road.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.feministing.com/cgi-bin/movabletype/mt-tb.fcgi/9214
Weekly Feministing Newsletter
Feministing RSS Feed
Being in that kind of situation would be frightening for me. I haven't received catcalls from truckers, but I have gotten them from men in pickups (which are significantly larger than my old skool Prius) and I chose to ignore them rather than express my anger just so they wouldn't follow me, or worse. It's irritating to be unable to express your true feelings via a strong middle finger or a curse when they have the power, but your safety should be most important.
I forgot to mention-- there are usually phone numbers on trucks that you can call to report bad driving, and you could probably call that number to report sexual harassment too.
A few years back when my partner was in college in southern virginia I would commute a few hours down I 81 from the DC area to see him on my breaks from college and I had a few truckers do the exaggerated honk/wave at me from their trucks. I can't say that I felt threatened, just annoyed and, as you mention, worried I was in their way, or I would wonder if I had my gas tank open or something like that. I run outside a lot and the most harassment I consistently receive is from guys honking or whistling from their cars. it's startling and unnerving but I can't say that I feel directly threatened. I think it's just completely disrespectful and rude. I'm not really sure what we can do besides, as Danielle suggests, write down their truck number or license plate number and report them.
I'm working on a book proposal on street harassment & safety issues for women in public and I will shortly be soliciting survey and interview responses from feministing readers/contributors (and others), so i'll be interested in having you (and anyone else reading this) contribute! i read and hear harassment stories all the time and i also read and hear from guys all the time who think street harassment doesn't exist so i want to get these kinds of stories out there!
I have experienced this type of catcalling often. The most frightening time was about three and a half years ago when I was driving from michigan to kentucky to look at a grad school. I drive a small truck and it doesn't have air conditioning, so when I'm driving long distances in warm weather I dress accordingly. I was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top on this occasion. I had one trucker who harrassed me and catcalled me for almost twenty miles, while on the highway. I would pass him, he would pass me, and ride along beside me so that he could stare down my shirt until the people behind him got angry and started honking. It became very frightening and as I was considering calling the cops the exit I needed came up and luckily it had a no semi sign on the exit, so that the trucker didn't follow me.
While this is an extreme example there have been numerous other times when I've been driving and have been whistled, yelled, or honked at by truck drivers. Most of the time I find it mildly annoying but this specific time it was scary, and if my exit hand come up when it did I would have called the cops and had them pull the trucker over or pull me over. I didn't care I just wanted that man away from me.
Ughh, don't even get me started on this! I'm in my early teens and I look like I'm a lot older than I really am. When I'm walking just about anywhere, I get at least some looks from guys. Even if I'm just wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. Guys just cant help themselves over young womens bodies.
Gross.
But I've heard you cant just start drooling or picking your nose or limping and they'll stop real quick!
:)
This is so terrible that this happens at all, and we as females are commenting on our experiences, how we were dressed and what an appropriate reaction should be. This type of male activity is completely unacceptable and THEY need to change this sexist, insulting behavior. How can we, as women, react to this situation in order to get the male perpetrator to think differently? To consider his actions, and the possibility he may be wrong? I am not sure I have an answer to this, unfortunately, but I believe this is our challenge.
In a related story, something similar happened to my friend, except the trucker actually managed to expose himself. I urged her to call the cops - who did pull the guy over - just so he could at least see there were consequences for his actions. However, the cops of course told my friend she had to be careful driving around in what she was wearing. Ugh. We can't win.