To think that wolf whistling wasn't such a bad thing?

No I never liked that. Found it intimidating and embarrassing.

I was 9. I was harassed, leered at, shouted at, and wolf-whistled every day on the way to and from school. When I went into a corner shop there were bikini-clad women on displays selling peanuts, porn mags, boobs out in the Sun and on the cover of other papers. It felt shit and I was often very scared.

@RosesAndHellebores I disagree I never learnt how to handle myself. I was sexually assaulted at work while 8 months pregnant by a much older man who was senior to me. He had probably been getting away with that shit for years. He even tried to blame me because I didn't tell him to stop, but being paralysed with fear does that to you.

When I was about 14 on holiday with my family I remember my parents having to explain to my younger brothers that the local men who had just driven past were ogling me.

This is obviously wrong too.

Generally men have privilege within society at the expense of women and that privilege includes the objectification of women in many circumstances. The reverse is not true though and it is highly unlikely that a group of female nurses going about heir job would whistle and make lewd comment to male patients or any similar female dominated profession.

Maybe boys and men need more wolf whistles and unwanted hands on their legs to toughen them up, then.

I might make a bingo card for this thread

That's outrageous! And I know where you're coming from;
I never dared mention the things that were said to me because I couldn't bring myself to repeat the words that were used. There would have been a lot of - 'how does a nice girl like you know those words' - or - 'I can't believe anyone would speak like that to a nice girl like you'. As if being - 'a nice girl'- (not how I saw myself btw) was a protection!

I was also 10 the first time I was told I had Nice tits.
When will these women who think its a compliment realise that their compliance and complicity with this behaviour makes it much worse?

Ah, the predictable "women do it too".

Why is it that shouting down a woman having her own thoughts or experiences is allowed?
To me some women want to control other women to as much a degree as men do

I don't care about a wholf whistle
I would defend and protect a girl that did

I happily wear provocative clothes that show off a body I've worked hard for, and I don't care if that brings attention

Have absolutely no issue in myself with enjoying male attention

I have a first, I am very senior in a competitive tech industry

It's MY choice how I feel, I don't need men or women telling me how I should react

I think she's partly right in that men do need to be told and that did work sometimes... 30 years ago.
However... the world has changed for the worse for women. Porn, Drag and 'Trans' now reign, degrading and openly mocking women. Men won't be told. Groups of young men openly stalk and harass women and girls in the city centres. These men have no respect for women at all and in fact enjoy any distress caused, it excites them.

When I went through my experience stated above, I was in mid 20s
My mum and dad said..
Aww its lovely to ne wolfe whistled at, it means the men like you at work.

A month later I was scared to go in because of threats of anal rape and men going jn the female changing rooms then joking about it.

I was only female who worked there Barr the cleaner in her late 60s. She got abused too but didn't see anything wrong with it. They were vile to her.

Well done on challenging her , your friend has some weird line in thinking.
Women that report rape are lying that's messed up ,a very small percentage do perhaps for vindictive reasons but the majority go through hell on earth to get to court even if they get there no guarantee of conviction.

I love JL, but no, I don’t think men should feel enabled to give a social call when they feel sexually aroused by a woman on the street. Nor do I think a women should have to slap someone to not be felt up.

I think you need to ask yourself why you like being whistled at? WTF!

It works both ways though. Several nights out, I've seen women throwing themselves at bouncers, bar staff etc, wolf whistling and practically groping them.

How is giving someone a slap non-threatening?

Exactly.
Fewer women complained because either they were conditioned to believe it was trivial, or it was a compliment. Or that they felt they'd be disbelieved.

I don't like living in a world where men feel entitled enough to loudly evaluate a woman's appearance in public (and, let's be honest, it was often a girl's appearance). It is always a reminder of who has the physical power: 'I can humiliate you in public and what are you going to do about it?'

My main issue with wolf-whistling is that you never know if it just going to be a wolf-whistle or if it is the opening gambit in a much more horrible or scary situation. Wolf-whistles are usually followed up with much more crude or aggressive and intimidating behaviour.

I wonder how many of the women who are ok with wolf-whistling go about shouting their opinions at random male strangers in the street?

I'm shocked at Joanne lumley diminishing and minimalistic women's experiences, I used to love her but internalised misogyny is rife as much as misogyny is. It makes me so sad.

Only if they're thick as a brick social inadequates who havent worked out the difference between how you address a fellow human being and how you summon your dog.

I buggered up a message.. ignore.

@NovemberMorn@NovemberMorn

What a Pervert.
That’s awful.
So sorry you had to endure that.

SA of young girls was common as well
Hopefully less so now, but I doubt it.