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?

Is it ok for 11yo girls to be wolf whistled at OP?

Reported crime*

Many men are sexually harassed but don't report it. Sad but true.

I am talking of women being street smart enough to NOT get the vapours if a man dare look at them in an appreciative way, or God forbid....actually whistle

You talk very much like an MRA/incel. Your dismissal of women not wanting to be harassed in public whilst going about their business is disturbing.

And sexual harassment from ANY person is not acceptable.

The answer is in the post you answered.

I don't care? Again, stop trying to make this thread about poor men.

I mentioned above that I was aged 10-14 when I was regularly wolf whistled at/cat called etc on my way to school and home. Should I have been ‘street smart enough not to get the vapours’ then?

It's a public forum. I'm entitled to my opinion, as are you.

Not all men are the same. Same as not all Mumsnet posters are opposed to people having different opinions like you are 🙃

Or, God forbid, people could behave in a polite and respectful manner to other people, including not making any kind of passing comment on stranger’s appearance or sexual attractiveness, and then no one would need to “handle themselves”.

Sorry OP but I’m finding some of your responses a bit silly.

Questioning if this is genuine.

Again, I don't care. I have no interest in men. Your desperate need to jump in and defend them is sad.

Don't worry @NovemberMorn

Girls still know how to handle themselves, I have two DD late teens now and they both know all the 'handle yourself' tricks.

They know to get cab's home even if they can walk and preferably in two's.
They know to never leave their drinks on the table in case they get spiked.
They know to cross the road if they can sense a male behind them
The knew from a young age to find a women if they felt threatened or were being followed
They know not to put ear phones in when walking to give them the best awareness of predatory males.
They know to take the long route if the short route is not well lit
They know not to make eye contact or react if an unknown male makes lewd comments etc.

They also know these ways to 'handle themselves' will never stop males making lewd comments towards them or raping them

Don't you worry @NovemberMorn girls still know how to handle themselves because it's such a good thing that they have to.

I remember a relatively local story some years ago in the press. Young girl out, late teens, out clubbing with friends in Glasgow. Spurned the advance of a 30 something bloke, total stranger to her. So far, so normal. He came across her again later that night in McDonalds. The knock-back had obviously been festering, because apropos of nothing, he pepper-sprayed her in the face.

She's one of the 'lucky' ones, of course. Wasn't like he killed her. Probably wouldn't take a terribly deep dive into the annals of crime to start coming up with stories of women and girls who've been murdered because they had the temerity to say 'no' to an entitled bloke with a massive but fragile ego and who saw woman as nothing more than chattel.

But, of course, it's the WOMEN who need to learn resilience.

I’m assuming that no it’s not ok. Good…what about a 17yo? Is it ok to wolf whistle a 17yo?

Hahahah typical.

I'm shocked she would say this, I thought she was a bit more switched on.

For every woman who felt confident to handle it/not bothered I'm sure there were countless more who were upset by it/didn't want their leg touched but didn't feel they could say anything.

I guess what I’m trying to figure out is why it’s completely unacceptable and disgusting to do to someone aged “young girls” aged 17 years and 364 days and younger but as soon as she turns a day older it’s fine and should be appreciated?

I don’t understand the mindset of protecting children from predators but when it comes to women, fuck ‘em

No, you were a child.
Wolf whistlers came in all shapes and sizes, some were perverts targetting young kids, just as many men today are perverts targetting young kids, they are all perverts. Whether they wolf whistle or not is immaterial.

I’m mid 60s and I don’t recognise the world you describe at all. Perhaps it’s an urban world. I grew up in the countryside and everybody knew everybody else.

So are they only “perverts” if they wolf whistle at kids but if they wolf whistle and women aged 18+ they’re <checks notes> admirers?

OK, what age do you think women/girls should start 'looking after themselves'?

I mean there's several posts on here where girls were getting harassed at 10.

And what age should we take these whistles as a compliment. The average age for it starting is about 12 (going by this thread) so should 12yo girls be complimented by men whistling at them? 13? 14? Or does something magical happen on their 16th birthdays and that makes it acceptable? How do men know these girls are over the legal age?

We all know these whistles usually stop maybe mid 20s-30ish, so men are actively doing this to very young girls and women.

And you're defending it ffs.

But it’s ok if they’re 18? If some guy passing in a van can even tell a woman’s age - I doubt these men are applying “think 25” when considering whether the person they’re pestering is actually even an adult.

(It’s a moot point anyway, it’s unacceptable behaviour towards anybody no matter their age.)

Ok, so at what age was I supposed to become street smart then? 16? 18?

Ah, the good old days when it was fine to sexually harass and assault women in public...

We were tougher in my day, give me a break lady.

What regressive thinking. It was the objectification of women for the male gaze was socially acceptable and now that's lessened a bit but still exists.

Not very easily. A dirty magazine and you'd have to buy it in the newsagents or set up a mail order to your home address. Very difficult for men to access porn videos. Most didn't have a way to watch videos at home or if they did it would be a family TV with VCR in the living room. Could be done if you lived alone but still expensive, a delay incurred, you could watch a limited selection. Nothing like now .