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Catcalls and the Death of Chivalry
Savages around the globe are murdering young women, selling them into sex slavery, and tossing acid into their faces. But a new viral video wants to redirect our outrage to another battleground of the global war on women: catcalls.
The video appeared yesterday in my Facebook feed with an image of a female and the headline “This is what it’s like to be catcalled on the street 108 times in a single day.” At first I thought it a humblebrag, but soon discovered it was yet another campaign to make men feel guilty.
After a brief search on social media, the video was being shared by several flamboyantly contrite men and enraged women. “Wow! I guess men still don’t get it.” “Men are disgusting animals.” “All you men should be ashamed of yourselves.”
I didn’t have the slightest shame watching the video, nor should any male with whom I associate. We don’t catcall. Of course some guys are boors as are some women. I don’t need a video to prove that human nature is a thing.
In the young woman’s 10-hour stroll through New York City, the video shows 20 incidents of harassment (two per hour), while text at the conclusion alleges more than 100. Some of the behavior is downright creepy while much isn’t disturbing at all.
Apologies to the video editor, but “how you doing today,” “how are you this morning,” and “have a nice evening” hardly count as harassment. If they do, I’m violated by polite tourists, panhandlers, and assertive shopkeepers every time I stroll along a busy city street.
All gentlemen agree that catcalling is a bad thing. In fact patriarchal Victorians were so disgusted by such rudeness, they enforced an elaborate public morality that elevated women with a higher level of respect. Thank goodness feminism and secularism drove a stake through chivalry’s heart.
Today’s Victorianism comes from the left. They too have an elaborate public morality, but one that is untethered to tradition or religion. Their guiding scripture is whatever trendy philosophy is coming out of gender studies departments and mass media in a given month. Men leering at Beyoncé on an awards show is celebrated; similar behavior on the street is anathema.
For better or worse, I’ve never followed fashion. Not only have I never catcalled, I still open doors for women, surrender my seat on public transport, and ensure that I treat them with an extra measure of kindness. I was notified by several liberal men on Twitter that this is A Bad Thing.
You see, it’s good that I oppose catcalling, but bad that I don’t oppose it for the “proper” reasons. While my outward acts of kindness are nice, they arise from a belief that gender differences exist. To these critics, my actions are unimportant; my ideology must be condemned.
Progressivism is about intentions, not results. Nevertheless, I will continue to practice chivalry even though it is unfashionable.
Published in General
They took it down. Cowards.
I found it on Funny or Die’s site. I was underwhelmed.
The video says “wearing … a crewneck t-shirt” but leaves out the words two sizes too small. Perhaps the ladies here can answer why women seem to want to wear tight everything these days. One might think so much skin tight clothing would produce at least a little thicker skin.
Here is 8.5 Minutes of our sainted moral superiors oggling a man’s crotch on a subway:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV8JPZyJiuE
What shall we do about this scourge of female entitlement to men’s bodies?
My eyes are up here ladies.
Which reminded Me of:
Yes. I frequently point out that while men are criticized for caring about a girl’s looks, women are never similarly criticized for thinking a man’s height is extremely important.
I’m with you on this. She wasn’t dressed provocatively, and she wasn’t behaving in a way to attract attention. Given that, she shouldn’t have to be the one to calibrate her appearance — the men are the ones who need to calibrate their behavior. She should be able to walk down the street, going about her business, without being objectified — which, let’s be honest, even the “hello beautiful” comments were. (It was clearly her body, not her behavior, which drew the comments.) She wasn’t putting on a display, and her desirability doesn’t make her public property for comment.
I have never, ever, made such remarks and would be mortified to even think about it. That’s not how I was brought up, and that’s not the civilization I want to live in. But more than that, the video left me with a greater appreciation of what it might be like to be on the receiving end. It left me with a sense of vulnerability that no one should have to tolerate.
Here’s a re-post of the “10 hours of walking NYC as a man” video:
http://youtu.be/5zU7I7NnB8w
Written like a man who married a beautiful woman, and has beautiful daughters. :-)
It was hard for me to learn how to compliment people for looking nice, and have it received properly. Nevertheless, it is clearly a net positive when I pull it off. Nevertheless, such compliments are on the same continuum as “Hello, beautiful.”
I have been on the receiving end of those types of comments, and it’s annoying but the freedom women have at this time in this country is a wonderful thing. The fact that I can walk freely down the street by myself, in relative safety is something that we should not take for granted. Which is something I think feminists do. Catcalling is annoying and creepy but a minor nuisance compared to what woman had to endure throughout history or today in other countries. The video is enlightening in that it can show the boorish behavior of a small percentage of men, but I think turning this into a cause celeb is a waste of time. Feminist need to stop navel gazing on little things like this and maybe try turning their focus to bigger issues that face women, especially around the world.
And there are more gentleman out there than many of the feminists would like to admit. There were times when I’ve had comments said towards me that were pretty disgusting and had some guys come to my aid to yell at them. That they “shouldn’t say such things to a lady”. Thanks fellas
Hey stop ruining our perfectly good moral panic with your reasonableness!
I apologize for the double post. Weird.
Hey, my post wasn’t meant to offend nerds. I could be considered a nerd for sure. I agree with the comments that nerdy guys might be nicer to her and make better long term mates than the NFL types.
I also agree that catcalling is pretty despicable behavior. I just find the racial angle more interesting because I don’t find a lot of room for disagreement with the general proposition that women should be treated with courtesy in public. I don’t feel the need to give up my seat for them (usually), but not yelling offensive things at passers-by is the minimum level of courtesy I extend to any stranger just minding her business on the street.
Is that a GoPro in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
Men leering at Beyoncé on a show is ok but on the street do not say anything. Ok. Got it.
Exactly!
You say this comes from womyn studies and how do they come up with this stuff?
600 minutes (10 hours) walking around New York City.
108 uninvited solicitations or communications.
That works out to one uninvited solicitation or communication every 5.55 minutes.
—
My walk to work is about 20 minutes long.
I can receive 2 or 3 uninvited solicitations or communications in that time, from panhandlers, charity workers, religious missionaries, and/or people who just like to talk to strangers.
The population density during my walk to work is MUCH lower than that of New York City.
That works out to one uninvited solicitation or communication every 6.66 to 10 minutes.