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

[NovemberMorn]

Joanna Lumley has just given an interview in which she says..."I never minded wolf whistling, I always thought it was tremendous".

She also said... "I think we were a little bit tougher then. Somebody put their hand on your leg, you didn’t feel affronted and report it. You’d give them a slap.”

Do you think she is right?

Who said that?
The twisting of words is rife in here today.🙄

I tried to report sexual abuse in school to my male head of year.
I ended up having to spend the rest of the day in the corridor as punishment for using inappropriate language (wank) while trying to describe what this man had done with his hand.
I didn't report it when it happened again.

99% of 'boomers like this' pushed back, got page 3 banned, got things like the Considerate Construction code off the ground, went to work in construction (though not enough of us to be fair) and told enough men to fuck off that wolf whistling has now become largely a thing of the past.

Joanna Lumley doesn't speak for me or for most people our age.

Not so great for the 10, 11 and 12 year olds who wear dresses or leggings and crop tops though, is it?

Definitely.
He was on his own in the car as well, so not even saying it to be funny to another man.

That whole mindset can only exist built on foundations of agreeing that a woman's purpose is for the benefit of men, for decoration and sexual gratification. Whether taking it as a compliment or slappling the unwanted hand away, the idea that it "isn't too bad" requires all women to be second class citizens whose acceptability and power is graded according to appearance, whilst men (the real humans) get to thrive or not on the basis of intelligence and talent.

And this is progress?

No, it was creepy and gross.
Men don't have the right to 'judge' women in this way, to harass women this way, to intimidate women this way, and that's what they're doing. Treating women as lesser beings to be judged by men as 'worthy sexually' to men or not.

I worked somewhere where wolf whistles escalated to threats of anal rape for me at work... which I tried to ignore till it got too much.
When I reported it, I had fully grown men calling me a b!Tch in their 50s saying they get the sack caused of me.

Forced me out of a job I'd just got promoted to and left the company because I didn't feel safe.

So no, I don't agree.

I have been married for decades.😄

Girls in riding gear ( close fitting so as not to rub) also do not want to be catcalled.
It’s not appropriate and Intelligent men who have emotional intelligence wouldn’t do it.

Have we got to the bit where women share how old they were when first wolf whistled while crossing the highway to buy mum some milk?
I was ten.

I don't think it's necessarily a generational thing. I'm a boomer and I've never thought it was acceptable. My friend who is two years younger thinks women distressed by unwanted male attention are "snowflakes". And yes,, before anyone asks, I did challenge her. She also thinks many women who report rape are lying.

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.

@NovemberMorn@NovemberMorn

I buggered up a message.. ignore.

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'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.

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?

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.

How is giving someone a slap non-threatening?

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.

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

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.

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.