Do men have a problem with women out jogging???

[FluffyPants82]

Hi all
I'm quite new to running and really enjoying it apart from the unwanted attention and comments I get from men ( never women) either from cars or on the street. Some are pretty harmless like " have you missed your bus?" Or " is someone chasing you?" They don't bother me that much but why comment at all? But this morning, i was getting a bit tired so slowed down, almost walking when I passed a parked van with 2 men inside, driver leant out of window and said " what's the matter, your snatch too sweaty?!" Just ignored him and carried on but is this a thing? Have any other women encountered this out running? I don't get this ever if I'm just out walking, only if I'm running . And just to be clear, I don't get all this attention because I'm a supermodel type, far from it- very average and nothing special so I just don't get it.

[SuperSange]

If someone shouts from a vehicle I just flip them off. I confronted a group of young teenagers last week as they said something about my fat arse as I ran by. I turned round and asked them when their sorry arses last ran a marathon, as mine had a couple of weeks before. Twats.

[JanetBrown2015]

pop, don't let them put you off. I suppose we only regain the public space and the right to be in it if we stay in it and aren't driven out of it back into homes and offices.

[JanetBrown2015]

I think it's also because they think they can get away with it. The drivers who slow down when I cycle know they can drive off quickly and if someone is running they will soon be gone so those shouting out think they can get away with it. I know my sons would never do this and to be fair most building sites nowadays have a policy of their workmen not being allowed to and they do it much less than when I was 14 from building sites but it's still a big problem, as if men think they own the road. I never shout out at men when I'm out and about.

[pop000]

Had this yesterday....first run since giving birth and some teenagers shouted "keep running you fat c**t and threw a bottle at me!" I was outraged to say the least!

[TheSecretMrsFairbrother]

Certainly did Strange. I ran away pretty fucking fast though!

[StrangeLookingParasite]

So i launched the can at her head

Did you hit her? (hope so)

[TheSecretMrsFairbrother]

I've had all the usual from men whilst I'm running, headphones tend to block the majority of it though.

The worst thing I've had was actually a woman who threw a half full can of coke at me.
It hit me on the shoulder and I was covered in it.

So i launched the can at her head, called her a cunt and ran away.

[OneFlewOverTheDodosNest]

I find it interesting that some people have switched to parks to avoid this - I started running in parks and switched to roads/pavements because I was getting such hassle in the park. Admittedly it was only from stupid teenage boys but it was still frustrating and in some cases intimidating.

Incidentally DP didn't like the thought of me switching to roads (no street lights) so I had to take him running with me to show him how bad it was. We hadn't even done a lap of the park (with him running at a distance behind me) before he got my point.

[alicemalice]

Some people are just arseholes. That means that some men will be arseholes.

But do women make these comments to men when they're out running? Can you imagine?

[alicemalice]

Isn't it just a way to keep women down?

[star0]

I've had it for years whilst running but recently had it whilst out on my first walk since having my baby. A man hung out of a car and shouted "single mum slag" at me...it was so loud I nearly peed myself...tmi but no joke...giving birth destroyed my pelvic floor! Lol I was so frustrated he woke lo and had to refrain from chasing the car down the street and go mama bear on him. Seriously who do these people think they are?! So rude!

[MineralWater]

I haven't RTFT but this happens to me too. I usually yell "Get fucked" "fuck off" "cunt" or some such very loudly at them.

[kaytee87]

I get it when cycling too. A lot of men get off on intimidating and making fun of women. Sadly quite a high proportion.

[Titsywoo]

This is why I run in parks now. People can be such pricks. I don't know why in particular when you are clearly trying to improve your fitness they decide to insult your weight. Honestly never in my life has the thought of insulting a random stranger occured to me!

I've had the pervy "oi oi!" beeps when I'm thin - thanks lads but it just makes me feel self-concious (I'm sure they think they are being nice ). When I've been fatter I've had laughter or "get yourself some slim fast" etc etc.

[Giddyaunt18]

pallas I love that idea!

[AyeAmarok]

It always surprised me when women haven't been subjected to it. I always assumed for me it came down to having large breasts from the age of 14.

I weigh about 48kg and have tiny boobs. I still get it.

Yes, I do run in lycra, because that's what running kit is.

[MusicToMyEars800]

Janet I have had large breasts from the age of 14 too, I used to get loads of comments and looks ( not when running ) But I don't get them anymore I've lost that sexy appeal I put on weight, skin has been having it's own midlife crisis, so maybe that's what it is. I do however feel conscious when I do jog, I don't jog very fast and go at a pace, I feel like I am being judged or looked at, I try to just focus on the path ahead avoid looking at anyone and listen to my music.

[JanetBrown2015]

It always surprised me when women haven't been subjected to it. I always assumed for me it came down to having large breasts from the age of 14.

It is often about showing off to a mate - more men shout out from a car if they are with a workmate.

[IToldYouIWasFreaky]

Women minding their own business have had to endure the ignorance and rudeness of men shouting at them in public for time immemorial. Running, standing, sitting, just walking down the street.

That.

I have been running for the past couple of years and can't ever remember getting hassle when I am on my own. I do wear headphones (and sunglasses at the slightest hint of sun!) so it's possible I am just missing it because the only times I have been aware of it is when I do a group class in the park (British Military Fitness so including lots of men, some super fit and tough) with no headphones or glasses. We quite often get comments from other people in the park, usually well intentioned twattery but there's also been leering etc at female members.
I did once get a stupid comment from a man on my way back from the park as I left my numbered bib on so he started asking me how the game was and if I had won... but that was just common or garden street harrassment.

I do think there's a certain sub section of men that feels threatened by seeing someone that "should" be weaker than them doing something they can't and that's why they harrass? As well as the usual policing of women's bodies and showing off to their mates...

[MusicToMyEars800]

I have never had this problem nor have I witnessed anything like this, My walk to work is a long straight path along a busy main road, loads of people run the length of it including a lot of women, I have never seen or heard anyone say anything or act in such disgusting way. I plan on starting up jogging/running again, and I hope I don't get this sort of behaviour form anyone, I also run with earphones in the music helps

[Mumchance]

It's one of the things that made me cross about the well-meaning 'This Girl Can' campaign. It completely ignored the fact that some female reluctance to exercise in public environments is due to well-grounded fears of male harassment/fat-shaming etc. All that nonsense on their website about doing it and not worrying about 'how red your face gets' completely avoids the real sticking point for a lot of women. It's not hard to understand how an overweight, self-conscious teenager trying to do Couch to 5k would find it difficult to cope with jeers from passing cars and having a milkshake tipped over her.

[user1495624473]

.

[Mulledwine1]

I'm fucking sick of bloody men going out their way to intimidate women

Me too. I am simply fed up with men's abuse of women fullstop, actually.

I lost it a bit yesterday on the Times website - there was an article about Rochdale and the fact that it's not good talking about the Pakistani background of the perpetrators, it's also the British white culture of sexualising young girls. One of the comments simply said "contributory negligence".

NO NO NO. It does not matter if our culture allows teenage girls to run around without a stitch on singing sexual favours are here again - men can bloody well keep their penises in their trousers! I was so cross.

Women should be able to run with the same freedom as men.

How many women are the victims of sexual and domestic violence every week in the UK?

How many girls and women died on Monday night at a male (aren't they always male) terrorist's hands?

I know some lovely men but we have a major problem with male violence and intimidation and probably always have - and I don't know what we can do about it and I say that as a mother of a son.

[MaidOfStars]

but sadly it went green a little early
The traffic light, not my snot

[MaidOfStars]

I run (on pavements in proper kit).

Most common is PA behaviour; males deliberately obstructing your path, sneering at you, "accidentally" bumping shoulders into you on purpose.

"Well-intentioned" calling out is also reasonably common, in a way that I think males would think is friendly, but still unwanted. "Go on girl", "Keep going love" etc.

Outright nasty behaviour is, IME, rare. I was once called a "fat, ugly cunt" by a group of lads in a car. Given that I am not fat, and they drove up from behind so no idea how they knew what my face looked like, I didn't take it to heart. Same group of lads then threw a cup of McD's pop at me. I was just working up a mouthful of snot to gob through their open window while they were stopped at the traffic light ahead of me, but sadly it went green a little early.

I've also had cigarettes and a bag of dog shit chucked at me.