Catcalls objectify and degrade women
Re Whistling at women is not harassment, Letter, Aug. 31 I’d like to challenge the assumption by letter writer Stella Kargiannakis that catcalls are simply compliments. Blatant inappropriate behaviour by men towards women cannot be passed off as having little harm behind them.
The “guy talk” women experience on the street, in the workplace and in their homes is a form of harassment. Comments of this nature degrade women by objectifying their sexuality. Respect for women should be encouraged at all times.
We know the sexual objectification of women and girls has led to rape, beatings, murder and other horrendous acts. Objectification reduces us to a thing or object, rather than a real person.
There’s a big difference between the objectification of catcalling or whistles and a healthy attraction to women. Sue Nielsen, Cobalt, Ont. Letter writer Stella Kargiannakis makes a very poor generalization that all women enjoy being whistled at or catcalled by men. I am not sure which women she thinks enjoy this degrading and childish behaviour, since it certainly has never included me, my daughter or my large network of feminist friends — many of whom work with sexual-assault survivors.
Does she not realize that such degrading behaviour further objectifies and sexualizes women, who are seen as nothing more than body parts?
By not standing up to such behaviour, as Emma Teitel did in her column, Kargiannakis is complacent in the degradation and ob- jectification of women.
Also, why does she consider it a good thing for women to spend thousands of dollars to change themselves to appease the male gaze? Is she of the belief that a woman’s looks are the most important aspect of her being? Why does she consider it important and worthwhile to be considered attractive in the eyes of the male beholder? What does this prove? Who benefits?
These socially constructed beliefs have kept and continue to keep women brainwashed into thinking they are never good enough. So very sad. Lisa Sharik, St. Catharines How very nice to read the letter by Stella Kargiannakis, who does not consider men whistling at women as harassment but rather complimentary. And how refreshing when she writes, “a whistle from a man puts a smile on a woman’s face and a pep in her step. Unsolicited compliments from men lift our spirits and bolster our self-confidence.” John Clubine, Etobicoke