By ROSIE WATERLAND
Doree Lewak is a writer for the New York Post and she has something to tell all the ladies. We know this because the headline on her controversial article starts with “Hey, ladies” and ends with “Deal with it.”
Observe: “Hey, ladies – catcalls are flattering. Deal with it.”
Lovely Doree is trying to get our attention because she thinks we all need to stop being so uptight about wolf-whistling (she calls it catcalling, but potato/patahto etc).
The basic gist of her piece that is definitely not designed to cause a stir is this: She has low self-confidence. Strange men yelling at her about how sexy she is gives her self-confidence. Ergo, ladies should not complain about strange men yelling at and/or wolf-whistling them, because it’s a lovely gesture that can make you feel very good about yourself on an otherwise crappy day.
Here’s a couple of quotes from the article to give you an idea:
“…When I know I’m looking good, I brazenly walk past a construction site, anticipating that whistle and “Hey, mama!” catcall. Works every time — my ego and I can’t fit through the door!”
“It’s as primal as it gets, ladies! They either grunt in recognition or they go back to their coffee break. It’s not brain science — when a total stranger notices you, it’s validating.”
“For me, it’s nothing short of exhilarating, yielding an unmatched level of euphoria.”
Now, Doree herself anticipated her article would piss people off – she refers to the ‘sanctimonious eye-rolling’ she expects in response and pre-empts any judgement by insisting that she is not a ‘traitor’ to her gender.
Top Comments
If you are ok been seen as a sexual object then that's fine - its just a whistle to say hmm you look great I'd like to F... you. If that is what she needs to feel good then that is a BIG problem.....
Rosie I (like so many others) - love you! you're great. this was a great article.
My public co ed high school was next door to a private boys school. Walking home meant walking right by the boys school. It started right from year 7, the boys would yell out their car windows at me and whatever other girls were walking home. The one I remember them saying most often was "Do you take credit card?" I felt frustrated and pathetic that I was on my own and walking, and they were a group in a car driving. They would just yell it and drive off, and I couldn't do anything about it. I barely used to look up at these cars/boys, and I would try and pick other routes home although it was useless.
When I was a bit older, maybe 17, 18, I would find myself walking home from the shops etc., and getting beeped at. Usually this was if I was wearing leggings as pants, I noticed that really seemed to attract a lot of attention. Around that time I started looking up at the cars and giving them greasies. I also stopped wearing leggings as pants once I realised it seemed to be a magnet for people to honk or yell out. I should say I lived in quite a rough neighbourhood at that time.
Nowadays I am 25 and I'm a lawyer. Being older has definitely meant less cat calling from teenage boys, although it still happens, now from men. Nothing takes me back to my teenage frustration and helplessness more, than a guy cat calling me on the street. I've gone back to not looking up now.
It is not a boost of confidence, it's not flattering, it is humiliating, disempowering, makes me feel pathetic and like I'm sending out a message soliciting this behaviour, when I am not.
It is definitely not all men who do it, either. It is not just normal, expected male behaviour. It comes from the loudest, most insecure man in the group, trying to impress his mates. Pathetic.