annoyed or flattered- wolf whistles?

[Nothingyet]

Today's report gets the usual DM reactionary backlash:www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9411429/Scotland-Yard-chief-urges-women-feel-uncomfortable-wolf-whistling-report-incidents.html#comments

I'm only answering your question, no idea what the link says.
But wolf whistling is grim, I don't want some bloke to think he can look me up and down and appraise me. Sometimes you get caught unawares and accidently make eye contact, which then usually triggers some grim, unsolicited comment from the whistler.
DD is a teenager and is so embarrassed by them, she already feels self conscious and this kind of attention makes her feel worse.

I should add by reactionary backlash I mean in the readers comments- they trivialise it (haven't the police got better to do?) and say where do the women who enjoy it report it?

Urgh, why would anyone enjoy it? When women say they feel flattered...just why? Some random bloke looking you up and down and assessing your tits or arse. Just grim.

I am not a dog so why would I find being whistled at flattering?

As for reporting it. OTT, I guess, but it's the thin end of the wedge really. The police have got away with trivialising women's issues for years and now there's a long overdue backlash.

You're expecting the comments to a DM piece to be anything thing other than the ill-conceived, poorly-spelt ramblings of cavemen?

I hate any whistling or comments. With a passion. They also make me feel unsafe as I have frequently ignored them and then had men following me or getting up to shout behind me that I should be grateful!? I think it’s a slippery slope with catcalling really, it reeks of entitlement. It’s like our bodies belong to them in some way and I’m just sick of it.

Surely all women realise by now that wolf whistling and catcalling are emphatically not performed as “compliments”?
They are a power play, designed to embarrass and intimidate. If the woman ignores it or complains, the underlying aggression is immediately revealed in the shouts of “frigid bitch” or whatever.
I was very heartened by the female police officer who urged women to report all such aggression to the police. They have finally realised that this low level misogynist behaviour is a gateway drug that potentially escalates to flashing, groping, rape and murder.
Stamping it out and making it socially unacceptable will take effort, but the payoff in reducing serious crime in the future is immense.

I find it grim but my need for male attention is low. My SIL is in her 50’s and quite needy in terms of male attention/approval (poor relationship with FIL, abusive husband) says that she enjoys being catcalled, having her ass patted etc. MIL in her 70’s the same, their bar for respect is low, they regard it as flirting.

My aunts don’t feel the same way but they had strong relationships with the men in their families and my grandmother would have hit the roof at any disrespectful man.

@Babdoc

Surely all women realise by now that wolf whistling and catcalling are emphatically not performed as “compliments”? They are a power play, designed to embarrass and intimidate. If the woman ignores it or complains, the underlying aggression is immediately revealed in the shouts of “frigid bitch” or whatever. I was very heartened by the female police officer who urged women to report all such aggression to the police. They have finally realised that this low level misogynist behaviour is a gateway drug that potentially escalates to flashing, groping, rape and murder. Stamping it out and making it socially unacceptable will take effort, but the payoff in reducing serious crime in the future is immense.

Hear, hear. Anyone who perceives this kind of behaviour as a 'compliment' is fundamentally misunderstanding the dynamic.

I don’t care for it neither do I give it any attention. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Doesn’t bother me one way or another I guess. My sister likes it - makes her feel she’s wanted.

I have only ever felt scared when someone on the street has whistled or shouted at me.

Carry On style old fashioned outdated bullshit. Absolutely no place for it in any decent progressive society. The only thing more infuriating than the arseholes who do it are the women who inexplicably think it's flattering or fun.

I dont think women are truly flattered by it. They may have been socialised into believing that it's OK for someone who doesn't dare say 'Good morning' to you to treat you like an object or animal that is expected to respond sexually to a non verbal command - but I'd argue that they deserve better treatment and respect.

My mother us in her late 80s and thinks it's complimentary. I've been accused of being a women's libber when I said I don't like it and see it as threatening. I was assaulted by a much older man at a party when I was 16. She was quite impressed that someone thought I was attractive enough to get groped

I'm in my 40s but remember my mum saying how awful it was when she was whistled when I was about 6. She felt threatened and intimidated then and it's no different today 35 years later.

Get the police involved, perhaps it'll be taken more seriously if Police are involved and people are at least spoken to about their behaviour. 99% of cat calling and whistling I'm sure isn't meant with malicious intent which is exactly why the seriousness of it needs to be increased and police involvement helps with that imo.

Flattering? Please.

The men that do it are trash. If you’re flattered by it, you’re embarrassing yourself. Nobody wants to appear that desperate, surely.

My mother is in my eighties, and God Help anyone that wolfwhistled her or patted her on her bum. I'm late forties, and I'm exactly the same way and always have been, and absolutely turned on my father when I was in my teens and furious about having been wolf-whistled and cat when he told me I shouldn't be so militant, and should take it as a compliment.

And if anyone has ever called me a 'women's libber', or a 'feminist', as if it's an insult, I've thanked them for that particular compliment. . .

@Babdoc

Surely all women realise by now that wolf whistling and catcalling are emphatically not performed as “compliments”? They are a power play, designed to embarrass and intimidate. If the woman ignores it or complains, the underlying aggression is immediately revealed in the shouts of “frigid bitch” or whatever. I was very heartened by the female police officer who urged women to report all such aggression to the police. They have finally realised that this low level misogynist behaviour is a gateway drug that potentially escalates to flashing, groping, rape and murder. Stamping it out and making it socially unacceptable will take effort, but the payoff in reducing serious crime in the future is immense.

Bloody well said 👏👏

I really do not know anyone who thinks this is pleasant or a compliment. I can't imagine thinking that way. I experience it as threatening, aggressive and scary.

They are building a new housing estate right next to the path I walk to work. It seems like years they have been at it and I hate running the gauntlet of it every day. It's about 50:50 whether some arsehole bloke will shout out something mostly just 'oi oi give us a smile love'. I don't think it's even about the woman it's a game with their mates. I have noticed they almost never do it if it's just one guy on his own.

I havent been openly objectified/ catcalled/whistled at in the street for years, but was narked on Friday whilst waiting at a pedestrian crossing (which went green for traffic as I got to it) when I realised the second car in the queue was beeping at the first one, which wasnt moving off because male driver and passenger were both staring at my chest (not a stealth boast, i was fully covered from the neck down). Mortifying as it was so blatant, other people using the crossing also noticed them doing it and a woman shouted "perv" or something at them.🤬

@susanna morgen. Don’t really think dogs are flattered by being whistled to. Mine just acts as though I’m harshing her vibe. (((Apologies for the stupid expression- it jumped to mind!

@Tinkerbell456
It wasn't me that mentioned dogs. But yes, my Mum's dog almost used to raise an eyebrow if you whistled her, as if to say "who the hell do you think you are"!.

Not reading the articke but based on your question, it's never bothered me. Always saw it as a harmless joke verging on slightly flattering. Feel very unreasonable to hold this unpopular opinion though!

I was out walking yesterday and was approachec twice ( two separate men)- give us a smile luv it might never happen type comments

whils theoretically I would be in favour of reporting it would be pointless, no idea who they were, nothing could or would be done about it

If it was a building site, garage or similar and it was a regular occurrence then I would be having a word with the employer