09.27.2007 JAYPLAY
feature11
initialized they
women them
in the carry
W are, but catcath
seen in her he male have
ingested in women
society, catcata
power street reinfo
explains. present," says,
implify
says, like
STING
are losing power, they reassert
selves. Street harassment is a
power of that."
while she admits that women will, too, Nielsen says that interviews and research shown her that men and men do not experience being killed the same way. The act of harassment and catcalling forces gender hierarchies, she and carries with it an oftencreat threat of violence, whether
In 1998, filmmaker and social activist Maggie Hadleigh-West tried to change that with her film "War Zone." Hadleigh-West carried a hidden camera around in four big U.S.cities—New York, San Francisco, Chicago and New Orleans—and caught men in the act of street
the men are aware of it or not."Men will never be able to understand what women feel like when walking alone down the streets," Nielsen says.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LISA LIPOVAC
harassment. She questioned them aggressively on-camera about their sexist comments, and allowed them to see their behavior from a woman's perspective. The Department of Defense now uses the film as a tool for teaching the U.S. military about sexism, according to Hadleigh-West's Web site, www.yomaggie.com.
showing off with friends, having a good time," says Marc Kingston, Overland Park sophomore. Kingston says he does not catcall or street harass, but has been in the car when his fraternity brothers have hooped and hollered at females anywhere in the vicinity. The behavior usually has less to do with the actual woman, he says, and more to do with guys showing off in front of friends.
So how do the perpetrators see their behavior without the aid of a hidden camera? "It's usually just
Kyle, Wichita junior, who's not keen on admitting publicly that he catalls, says that after a night out with friends, he "woo" at more than a few women on his way home. He says he doesn't really know why he is compelled to shout out. He is not motivated by a possible reaction from the woman, he says. "It's really just for entertainment," Kyle says. "It's humorous, and I bet that sometimes it makes women feel good about themselves. You know they go home and talk about it. I'm sure there are some who enjoy it, anyway."
Kyle says he has never catcalled solo. It's always in social, and frequently drunken, situations. "What fun would it be if I were alone?" he says. "I'd turn to the empty seat next to me and be like 'yeah, man...did you see that?' I don't think so."
Through her work at the Street Harassment Coalition, Foster says she has found that often, men aren't even aware that what they're shouting could be considered degrading. For this reason the Street Harassment Coalition holds workshops, hoping to open the eyes of men who are self-professed catcallers. Sometimes the message gets across, but often the act is so ingrained that it's difficult to sway in the short term, she says.
Similarly, women have become accustomed to dealing with it. "I just ignore it," says Audrey Fusco, Wichita graduate student. "There's not any point in caring."
Howell echoes that approach. "By not reacting, that's sort of my response to them. Ignoring it is best," she says.
In Lawrence, few men admitted to me to have ever catcalled before, and none ever to go on record with their full name. Most I spoke with actually said they
thought it was degrading and trashy. Mitch Oswald, Effingham graduate student, says that he sees it happening even in his small Northeastern Kansas hometown. He compares the act to guys who listen to music loudly in cars with the windows down. "It's just another annoying way to get attention. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who does it is a moron."
Although she sidesteps name-calling, Fusco says she wishes men would realize how ineffective and mundane the standard catcall can be. Comparatively, when she was in Italy, she and a friend were walking down a narrow road when a fishing pole with a small piece of paper attached to it dangled in front of them. They ran over to the note, which was from an unknown Italian guy above. He asked to take them to dinner. They politely declined, but did manage to snap a photo to remember the event: "I appreciated it more than the generic catcall or honking. I don't respond to that."
Yet it continues, despite the apparent lack of positive reinforcements for those macho men out there. They have no real hopes of getting a purr out of the cats they're calling, Kingston says. "I think guys know there's little chance."
HOLLA BACK
In October 2005, a group of fed up women in New York City created "HollabackNYC" a blog where women (and men) can share their street harassment horror stories and post pictures of their perpetrators caught in the act. Turns out, the New York edition was the start of something. Sixteen cities and states now have a "Holla back" blog site, all of which share a common goal: to fight back against street harassment.
No Hollaback site exists for any part of the state of Kansas.
For more information, go to hallabacknyc.blogspot.com Links to the other Holla back sites are along the left side of the page.
the page.
WORD ON THE STREET (HARASSMENT)
1. Describe a catcalling experience you've had
2. How does being callable make you feel?
Lisa Eilers, Wichita graduate student
1. 'When I'm driving a big truck, I get a lot of attention.
Guys roll down their windows and yell things
like, "Wow, that's hot. A girl with a truck. That's the way to do it!" 2."That usually just makes me laugh, but if they're saying something more obscene or something, that's a very different situation."
Jon Hecker, 2007 graduate
1. "Whenever I run on campus on a Thursday night, girls drive by and they usually whistle. Thursday nights
are pretty much a guarantee for that to happen."
2. It makes me feel great!
They notice me, and obviously they think I'm doing something
right.
Micah Pratt, Salina junior
1. "One time,
I was stopped
at a light in my
car over on Sixth
and Iowa, and
this guy was
trying to get
my attention, whistling and winking. He was trying to get me to roll down my window so he could say who knows what. When the light turned green, his car would start. So he was stuck just there as I speed off."
2. "Guys look like total idiots. I guess sometimes it can be flattering, but it's really not at all the best way to get a girl. I usually try not to acknowledge their presence."
their presence."