If you are a woman you know the scene. You are walking past a group of builders. They are propped up against some scaffolding cigarette in hand the only work they are seemingly doing is looking for women to goad. They whisper among themselves when they see you coming and they all turn to you leering and whistling.
I was a schoolgirl when I first heard that phrase a mere teenager in a school uniform. An object for pleasure for men that were bigger and stronger than me.Clearly I had no time for mens bulls**t back then either so I ignored them. Still I felt like I could not breathe. Tears pricked my eyes and my body shook while I was aware of both being alone and of my own mortality. It was me alone against half a dozen men. You would look prettier if you smiled one replied to my silence. F***ing frigid bitch another said spitting on the ground behind me as their eyes darkened.
Being a woman is exhausting. It is. Theres no denying it and its a hill I will happily die on with scores of other women alongside me no doubt .Having to deal with everyday sexism at the hands of men and only men as a woman has never ever objectified me from a young age is traumatising. The mental and physical torture we have to go through every single day to keep ourselves safe is disgusting. But apparently Amanda Holden welcomes catcalls from builders.
I still want to get wolf whistles in my 70s, and I do not care how sexist that is she said to a womans magazine. I want a builder to give me a little oi oi when I walk past. I want to be tooted at by men or women when I am walking the dog. Well Amanda I think you are a bloody fool. When are catcalls not sexist? All catcalls are sexist just like all men need to be educated on rape culture.All unwelcome unwarranted forms of interaction between a man and a woman including wolf whistles and catcalls are sexual harassment and should be punished rather than endorsed.
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