Aibu about the how the way this makes me feel

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I'm early 30s. Been cat called since I was about13/14. Back then my mum told me is was a compliment. I never liked it always made me feel self conscious. As I've grown up I've come to despise it. I think it's misogynistic and shows that men just don't respect women walking about.
Earlier I was catcalled. I'm wearing shorts, and a shirt. No bum out or anything. They drove past and they whistled at me and beeped their horn and said check her out.
I felt furious. As in how dare they, why do they see women walking as a bit of meat. It made me really angry. Its no OK. I ignored it and didn't react but my hope in men is at an all time low.
I know not all men are the same. I know of some good eggs. It's just a large portion. Aibu to feel so angry about it?

It's a shitty minority. Look forward to the day you become too old to appear on their radar.

Of course YANBU. Your mum is wrong. It's not a compliment and they absolutely do not intend it to be. The intention isn't to make you feel good, they want to make you feel uncomfortable. It's about power.

IMO women as a whole aren't angry enough.

Who on earth has put YABU? Please can you explain yourself. As I genuinely want to know why you have voted that way. If I don't here from anyone then I will assume it's just a troll.

Probably a troll

Agree that women aren't angry enough. You still get a minority of women who like it.

I haven’t been cat called in a while, thank goodness! As a child (13+) I would be cat called no matter what I was wearing and it terrified me.

I realised a few years ago that I was still subconsciously avoiding walking past workmen.

I can’t believe there are women that find it flattering, considering most of these men will also be doing it to children!!!

YANBU and totally correct. As PPs have said it's not a compliment it's about control. I've always loathed it, from when I was pre-pubescent to the present day.

I had a bloke crack on to me today in Boots of all places at 9am when I had just come in after going for a run. I was sweaty and dishevelled and he started chatting to me at the till and then came the inevitable "smile, love" when I was non-committal. I'm over 50 years old, in a settled relationship with a child, looked like shit at the time and was and focused on buying an electric toothbrush and some shower gel FFS. I'm not remotely in the zone to have to smile at the compliments of a gorgeous man let alone some overweight middle-aged oaf who wants me to know I'm today's lucky winner and I object to being told I have to enjoy this just because he's a man.

I've always felt that this sort of behaviour is purely about aggression, it's not complimentary at all. It's about them putting you in your place, saying to you "I don't give a fuck what you're feeling like, what you are doing at this moment, what's going on in your life, what your priorities are and whether you are interested in me. You exist purely for me to be able to establish my red-blooded credentials". No catcaller ever did so out of genuine interest in the object of his "affections".

They can get to fuck and in the nicest possible way your mum is an idiot.