It has come to my attention that peacefully walking down the street is a right that not everyone gets to enjoy.
I myself have been subject to funny looks, and glances, etc., but generally speaking nothing too extreme or abnormal. Everyone should be able to say the same; however, some people find themselves becoming the subject of amusement for others. That’s what happened when Shoshana Roberts decided to secretly film herself walking throughout New York City.
She was notably verbally harassed as she strolled throughout the city. I can honestly say I was appalled at the type of attention that Roberts received. My jaw dropped in dismay as I viewed the video. Kudos to her for showing such an extreme amount of bravery and documenting the situation and spreading awareness.
BuzzFeed released an article last week featuring pictures of women in the clothes they wore as they were catcalled. To say that it was a woman’s fault, that she deserved it or that she should not have been wearing certain things as she was victimized is completely wrong. Not to say that men cannot be victims of sexual abuse, but I have not heard of many cases where a man was continuously sexually harassed as he was walking down the street.
It is inexcusable behavior. You have nothing to gain from “hollering” at someone. You’re simply showing someone truly how little respect you have for them, as well as what little you think of them and their feelings.
It has always baffled me how certain individuals feel they are just God’s gift to everyone else.
What makes a person believe it is morally or socially acceptable to blatantly disrespect someone and force their way into their victims’ lives?
There are various movements that advocate for certain rights and protections for specific groups of people. As a male, I am so thankful there are individuals who advocate for these rights for women who are victimized daily.
The women you choose to catcall are likely mothers, daughters and/or sisters. Even further, they could be community leaders, nurses, doctors, executives, etc. Most of all, they are equals.
These women play very important roles in the lives of others, and they deserve to be appreciated appropriately.
Catcalling does not display the appropriate form of appreciation. It is likely that the majority of you love and cherish your mothers and would do nothing intentional to disrespect them. The rule of respect should be very clear: if you would not disrespect your own mother, do not disrespect someone else’s.
Brice Ashford is a junior marketing major from Ridgeland.
