Almost never, tbh. I don’t know if it’s my looks or my energy or just not common practice where I live lol. When it does happen, depending on how physically intimidating the person is and/or how ratty I feel, I either hurry along or scowl at them. Occasionally have sent the finger but tbh only when they’re far enough away that it’s not scary to do so.
Almost never after age 30… a frightening amount from ages 14-25.
*almost daily when I lived in a large city and would walk to the store, mostly by men driving by.
often in my early 20s, someone followed me through a parking lot. Walking behind me, “Just wanted to tell you have a beautiful butt.” Something like that.
*not cat called but often hit on at work as a teen and young woman.
My response is to feel uncomfortable. It isn’t a compliment, it’s a power play. I would feel flustered and grossed out
Pretty much never. Even when I was younger and looked really good, I rarely got hit on and never catcalled. Maybe it’s where I live? I never notice it happening to anyone else either…
I only ever got cat called when walking by construction sites in my 20’s. It never happens now. When it used to happen, if the words were respectful I’d just smile and keep walking. If not respectful I ignored it. Like wolf whistles never bothered me. “Hey baby” is gross tho.
Every time I go out alone/without a man present it seems. I completely ignore it. They want a reaction and interaction because that’s the only access to me they’d ever have, I don’t give it to them. They don’t exist to me.
Whenever I hear catcalls, I just assume they’re directed at someone else. I never look, respond, or acknowledge them… I just tune them out. So I’m not entirely sure how often it happens anymore, but it’s definitely less frequent than it used to be.
Never anymore. I’m 44 years old and it is bliss. I was catcalled so much until my very upper 30’s. It was so frustrating. I mostly ignored it. Responding to it made it worse.
Never happened to me. Closest thing was when a guy was hanging out the back window of a car and threw a drink at me and told me to go home because no one wanted to see my fatass 🙃
Literally never. Happened once in my 20s, that’s it. But I don’t go out much and mostly dress in loose-fitting unisex clothing, plus most of the time I am out somewhere I’m with my husband… so not exactly the sort of person who’s going to get much attention.
After 30, hardly ever. Now it’s only as a joke from my friends when I actually dress up or put makeup on. Most of the time, I look like a cave troll.
From 18-29, quite a bit. From 12-17, a terrifying amount. I looked mature for my age (super early puberty). I have very thick hair and it was usually cut in a flattering way. At 12-15, I didn’t dress particularly provocatively, mostly T-shirts and jeans/gym shorts. I wouldn’t go outside without my dog or a friend. I got cat called a lot. Mostly by public workers (garbage men, utility men). It was gross and I felt super weird about it.
At 15-29, I definitely dressed more maturely, but still not super provocatively. The worst advances were 15-17. I had people try to grope me, brush past me on sidewalks, crowd me in elevators.
I worked at a coffee shop across from a clinic that had an NA support group. Yikes the people who were stopping in for coffee before the meeting. One time a guy tried to make an advance on me while I was working. Was saying super sexual stuff. I was 15. My boss was actually sitting right there too. I told the man “I would like you to know that you have just sexually harassed a minor. Do you see that woman over there? That’s my boss, and she just witnessed the entire conversation. I would also like you to know that I’m friends with the local police department and I have Officer B’s personal contact. I’m sure he would LOVE to come down here and handle this situation. Would you like that? No? Ok, then here’s what you’re going to do. You are going to take your coffee, and you are going to leave and never come back in here. Understood?”
He got up and left and while I saw him on the street, he never came back into the shop while I was working.
When I was in college, I started giving a bit more sass. If I got cat called, I would ask, “has this behavior EVER worked for you? I’m sure it hasn’t. Do better!” Or, “do you have a sister? What would you do if someone was talking to them like this? Would you like that? No? Then stop.”
I’d say whenever I go outside it’ll happen maybe 1/3 of the time? Or a 1/4 of the time depending on the time of year. I bury myself in winter gear during the colder months and no one is going to cat call someone they can’t even see hidden under layers of coats and sweaters lol. I’m very lucky in that maybe three interactions total actual scared me and made me feel threatened. All times I ignored them and powered through, determined to get to my destination. Most other times it’ll be honking from cars, the “You’re so beautiful God bless you” comments, or random people on the street/people at establishments I’m in making side remarks. Sometimes they don’t say anything but I feel them staring and again I ignore them. The most anyone will ever get out of me is a curt “thanks have a nice day” because there are definitely instances in which ignoring them just makes them angry and you’re better off acknowledging them before carrying on.
I was first catcalled around 12 years old. I was walking home from a friend/neighbors house (in an upper middle class neighborhood for context) on Halloween night (lots of people came to our neighborhood for Halloween, we would get nearly 500 trick-or-treaters some years). There were three men (maybe older teenagers?) shouting “Hey girl! Hey cutie!” at me from across the street. They were dressed in dark clothes and it was quite scary. I remember walking home very fast (I don’t think I ran cause I was trying to act like I didn’t hear them/ignore them entirely) to get away from them, never told my parents.
Catcalling occurred sporadically throughout my teens, mostly from men who honestly looked quite unwell. There was an uptick throughout my college years but that was probably cause I spent more time walking around urban areas. Since I’ve been out of undergrad (2ish years, I’m almost 24 now) I have not been catcalled.
My response whenever I am has always remained the same though. Other than involuntary tensing up and walking faster, I try not to respond and hope they’ll give up and leave me alone. Avoid eye contact. Though if someone ever gets too close to me I think of the SNL “Welcome to Hell” song skit when Cecily Strong acts super erratic/crazy so men would think “she’s not worth it” and I try to freak them out a little then continue walking faster until theres a more comfortable distance.
almost everyday, i don’t have a car and i walk a lot since there’s a lot of stuff within walking distance from me and i live in a busy area. i also walk 2+ miles to the gym so im a victim of opportunity.
As kid and teen … too often. As young adult… still too iften. As adult, well, still too often. I am 54 now and it finally went down the last 17 years, but that can be that I am living in a rural village…
Super frequently before I turned 30. Now I’m 35 and maybe get catcalled once a month, maximum. I used to ignore and scurry away, then I morphed into barking at the man as I walked past, and now I stare them dead in the eyes and say nothing, and walk away. 😂 When I was younger and in my scurry phase, men who catcalled me would try to follow me home or to work, so the barking was introduced. No one follows the barking girl home. Now I’ve got my “I’m so disappointed in your behavior” teacher/mom/boss face down, and if they continue with their harassment, I will tell them to “fuck off”. My general theory is to act scarier and weirder than they are, it has a pretty good return, and typically catcallers are so thrown off by the barking or intense eye contact that they don’t get aggro.
A lot. More so when I’m pushing my baby in her stroller which is really disturbing. If I’m alone I ignore it because I don’t want to provoke any crazies, if I’m with my husband I flip them off lol
from 18-29 it was a disgusting amount. i was a sweetie back then and would often say thank you with a genuine smile on my face when i got cat-callish compliments which would then backfire because men can’t just say something nice without making it weird. i’d get followed, once was followed into my apartment elevator and pestered for my phone number. i’ve had men follow me on their bikes, in their cars. around late 20s i started getting more feisty with my replies, sometimes i’d do something gross to back them off like pick my nose in front of them or couch without covering my mouth. i’ve also faked not being able to speak english. i’ve also said to someone “sorry, i don’t have any change on me.” that gets them to go away real quick. 😂
i’m 31 now and i still often get catcalled but not as much. i still get stared at a lot. i dress more modestly than i did as a teen/twenty-something. but just yesterday i had a man honking at me and hanging out the window of his car as he drove trying to get my attention. i typically walk around with headphones nowadays so i genuinely just ignore and act like i didn’t notice their peacock behaviour.
Probably only once and that was a few weeks ago. I’m 27 and in my 27 years here, I think that was the only time I was catcalled and it more more so the guy yelling out his truck “hey girl!”.
I’m always with another person whether it be my mom or my dad or my fiance, so that could be the reason why I don’t get catcalled.
Catcalling is so normal to me it doesn’t even bother me I probably get catcalled 1-2 times a week but the catcalling doesn’t bother me its when they follow me around, stare,and generally just make their very close presence and words uncomfortable that bothers me. For catcalling just a glance and look away is appropriate for the comments and low key stalker behavior I receive several times a week its worse than catcalling for me I would rather be catcalled several times a day than here some of the disgusting comments ive heard from men in my lifetime im only 23 like damn leave me tf alone my attractiveness is not an invitation to talk to me,stand near me, or follow me. Please I’ll take catcalling over that 😭 behavior every single time.
Trusty old middle finger. One time a man followed me for an extended time and the I just turned around and barked at him as loud as I could while making crazy eyes. That was very effective, but draws in more attention from bystanders.
When I was underage, it happened frequently, and I just tried to ignore it because I didn’t know what else to do. My dad was with me one time when I happened and he almost killed the guy.
Now that I’m an adult, I really only get it in a positive way (genuine compliments, usually from other women or queer men hyping me up but sometimes hetero men too, nothing really offensive or creepy), so I respond with a “thank youuu 😁”, compliment them back if something strikes me, and move along with a nice confidence boost.
Not as often as i did when i was in my late teens and early-mid twenties but i did get cat called on tuesday by the garbage truck guys when i was walking on the sidewalk with my son
Never. I’m close to 40 and I’m fat, lol. I got cat called all the time when I was a teenager or in my early twenties. I’ve “aged out” for these creepy ass men.
Happens to me all the time, even now that I’m married (a week away from turning 26.)
Most of the time the catcalling is combined with the really gross Asian fetishism. Way too many guys yell out a “Ni hao” or “Konnichiwa” trying to get my attention. I don’t speak any Asian languages – only English and French (and also Sign Language, which actually helps me sometimes when I can pretend to be deaf.)
I had one security guard at my workplace who would shout out some innuendoes sometimes as I would pass by his desk every morning and night. This idiot decided to give me a nickname: “Lingling” as a stereotypical Asian name. Jokes on him, my heritage is a Japanese-Korean mix so his nickname doesn’t even match my true ethnicity.
Dude eventually got fired when my company did a sexual-harassment purge.
Anytime I’m in a major city. I used to live in Philly and it was constant. Since I’ve moved to a smaller town, almost never. When I travel to Boston or D.C. for work, it happens every time.
I haven’t been catcalled in years, I’m 30 now. It happened the most when I was 14-21. When I was younger, I would just ignore them like I didn’t hear them, to try and diffuse the situation. Nowadays my instinct is to crack up laughing! A real cackle.
The last time I was catcalled, I was with my wife walking down the sidewalk. We aren’t subtle about being lesbians, we both had wild dyed hair at the time, were wearing shorts with unshaven legs, and were holding hands. A guy walking towards us looked us up and down and unironically said “atta girls” and slowed his pace a little as he approached. We died laughing and walked right past him! He was probably twice our age. “Atta girls” lmao
Only once. Some dudes shouted at me some very disgustingly crude remarks from a car while I was walking home from school. I didn’t have a chance to react nor would I want to. I think I was 16.
Other than that never. I was hit on, but not catcalled.
In the Middle East, men will follow women down the street and say pssst, like the way you’d call a cat. I started responding by making the same sound, and it works pretty well. They just laugh and realize how ridiculous it sounds.
Catcalling started for me since I was 10 and has been going on consistently until now, nowadays I just keep walking but if it’s someone who’s coming towards me I just stop and ask him what he’s expecting to happen, they usually go on their way on their own.
depends on the area, but in busy cities? Pretty often. I usually ignore it or throw a quick “you good?” if I feel safe enough to say something. Most times I just keep walking with my headphones in like I didn’t hear a thing
Probably like once a month at least. It’s really slowed down since my teen years😒😒(seeing a lot of people say it’s less as you get older……men can be fucking concerning)
From ages 10-30, non-stop. I’m 32 now (and don’t even look any different lmao), it’s less frequent, but it still happens. I don’t mind whenever black men do it. They’re polite about their approach 99% of the time, so I just thank them and move along. Those old white men tho? They are so disrespectful and intrusive that I really be making them feel like trash. Had a gun pulled on me once because he had the nerve to try to flirt with me as I walked to my car with my biracial son, with a confederate flag as his front license plate. My mouth almost got me killed w my kid one day, just for denying AN OLD MAN! A racist one at that. You got me fucked up.
LOL never. Only happened once or twice in my life, in my younger years. Listening to women complain about how often it happens to them really solidifies how unattractive I am 🙁 Kinda hurts tbh
After 35, I was never really cat called again. Before I just ignored it. Several times I acted like they were gentlemen and turned them down gracefully, which really threw them off their game. I think the last I was catcalled was after I became a minister and you should have seen the look on his face when I turned around with my clergy collar on. Lol, priceless!
In my teens and 20s, I got hit on and cat called CONSTANTLY. I didn’t really care about the cat calling at all, never responded. But the people hitting on me really bothered me because NO was never enough of an answer. Now I’m in my 30s, rarely go out and out myself in the same types of situations, so getting catcalls and hit on is very rare and I love it. Getting older fucking rules.
literally any time i actually get dressed. i have to go out dressed sloppy otherwise i get catcalled atleast once and followed either around or home. literally happened 4 times yesterday on my way home and one followed me. i had to walk 4 extra blocks to get him to leave so i could go home.
I run on my street. I get catcalled on 90% of my runs at least once. I am catcalled in my city outside of running 1-4x per week. I thought it would be less as I aged. I’ll be 36 this month and it’s still awful.
Edit to add: I have a range of ways I respond. I’m usually aggressive. I’ll tell them to go fuck themselves, to leave me alone or I’ll literally bark like a dog. I’ve been sexualized by strangers since I was a literal child. I’m kinda done being “nice”.
complete disregard and attempts to find more people to feel safe + quick step. this happens or something similar happens about 15-20% of the time when I leave the house
im 18 rn and i only get catcalled when i wear something thats a tiny bit close to the body.
shorts too…
it makes me feel weird when i know that im freshly 18 and the men hitting on me look grown grown
I’ve lost count from the amount of times I get honked at by men in cars and vans when I’m out walking by myself. I just give them dirty looks but they’re usually laughing with each other if they’re in groups or have no shame to keep staring
I can remember being 8 months pregnant walking down a street and being catcalled/honked at from behind by a jeep full of 20 year old boys (I was 27 at the time) til they passed me and saw my gigantic pregnant belly.
Now I’m 59 and yesterday a CLEARLY homeless man on the streets of London catcalled and started to approach me saying “I like that shirt, where you from hun”. Yep.
I have spanish origin in spain it s considered rude not to make a nice piropos my 70 year old mom get them there
In france all the time they had to pass a law to forbid it. In rural California very rarely or maybe because I m in my 30s?
Reaction depends to not make them angry thank you but no thank you or not interested or a joke if they are joking
One homeless person in SF asked very loudly in a group would you marry me for 1 night I replied exaggerating my french accent it depends are you a us citizen? Made them laugh
I dont go out much – but there were a few years of my early 20s where I was going out to the bars either only with girls or with some men and women, or just my partner at the time.
I had never really gotten catcalled before but one night specifically when I was out with the girls, there were two men walking behind us and were commenting on how I looked. And then entering a bar, I was waiting for a bathroom and one guy began trying to chat me up. That same night and same bar, three men at the bar were trying to chat me up again.
40 year old here. I still get catcalled. It started when I was 11. Now when I was in my 20s and 30s I was a completely different person, unhealed from past traumas so I thought any attention was better than none, even if it made me uncomfortable. After lots of growing and therapy, now I don’t look at it like that at ALL. Now I say something, depending on the situation. Don’t make me feel uncomfortable because you can’t control yourself like a child. It’s gross.
When I was a kid/teen/young adult it was once or twice a week, now at 28 every few months. My answer to being cat called is just give them a lifeless look and say “I’m sure your parents must be proud” and leave
In my 20’s a lot. Now in my 30’s only occasionally when it happens if it’s broad daylight and people are around I just say “thank you” in a sing songy sarcastic voice. If other people aren’t near by and it’s broad daylight I walk faster, cross the street, have 911 dialed and ready. If it’s night time, I don’t walk or go anywhere alone and wouldn’t risk it.
A few days ago a guy catcalled me while I was crossing the street and he was stopped at a red light. I was in an angry mood already and flicked my cigarette at his car hood without thinking. He got maaaad lol but couldn’t move cause he was stopped. Next time I might throw something heavier…
I don’t find myself extremely attractive, however, I know I’m not unattractive. I’m a thicker white girl with a pretty big backside. I live in an urban area and I get catcalled on a daily basis. I’ve had someone follow me to my house bc they recognized my car and had seen me at the store and tried to get my number. Most times I just smile and keep walking and ignore them. The guy who followed me got cussed out.
Not too often as I don’t go out much but in college it was a decent amount and I’d always respond with “sorry I have a penis” just confusion and terror, made it worth it
I haven’t been catcalled since I was like 19. I’m turning 28. I got catcalled a lot when I was super young. Like 13-17. Then progressively less until never again.
My response is usually the finger. One time I spoke back because it was a group of men. They just laughed at me and I rolled my eyes. I was in the self checkout at a Kroger.
As a young woman all the time. Will usually make some comment to make them feel insecure if I’m feeling snarky or just ignore them. I also have friends that we do it to each other as a joke all the time tho and I’ll just catcall them right back
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Almost never, tbh. I don’t know if it’s my looks or my energy or just not common practice where I live lol. When it does happen, depending on how physically intimidating the person is and/or how ratty I feel, I either hurry along or scowl at them. Occasionally have sent the finger but tbh only when they’re far enough away that it’s not scary to do so.
Almost never after age 30… a frightening amount from ages 14-25.
*almost daily when I lived in a large city and would walk to the store, mostly by men driving by.
*not cat called but often hit on at work as a teen and young woman.
My response is to feel uncomfortable. It isn’t a compliment, it’s a power play. I would feel flustered and grossed out
I get carhorns in summer or whistling. It is so stupid. Sometimes I smile nervously, sometimes I am I flinch because it was so loud.
More than I’d like, I tell them to go fuck themselves usually + a middle finger.
Pretty much never. Even when I was younger and looked really good, I rarely got hit on and never catcalled. Maybe it’s where I live? I never notice it happening to anyone else either…
Never now, but when I would dress up more it made me not want to go outside at all
Maybe like once a year and I tell them their music taste sucks (they’re almost always blasting music in their car as they call me)
All the time but I don’t respond bc why not just nicely tell me I’m cute?
At my age, that happens only in certain countries where I vacation. How do I “respond”? I don’t. At all.
I only ever got cat called when walking by construction sites in my 20’s. It never happens now. When it used to happen, if the words were respectful I’d just smile and keep walking. If not respectful I ignored it. Like wolf whistles never bothered me. “Hey baby” is gross tho.
Every time I go out alone/without a man present it seems. I completely ignore it. They want a reaction and interaction because that’s the only access to me they’d ever have, I don’t give it to them. They don’t exist to me.
I was catcalled more as a teenager than I am now…
When it happens now I ignore it.
everyday, i just ignore it as if u do as little as GLANCE at them they will quite literally chase u down
Rarely happens , but now I just smile and keep moving.
When I was in my 20s I would entertain it.
Whenever I hear catcalls, I just assume they’re directed at someone else. I never look, respond, or acknowledge them… I just tune them out. So I’m not entirely sure how often it happens anymore, but it’s definitely less frequent than it used to be.
Never anymore. I’m 44 years old and it is bliss. I was catcalled so much until my very upper 30’s. It was so frustrating. I mostly ignored it. Responding to it made it worse.
I mostly ignore, but occasionally call them out.
Now that I’m in my 30s, not much. In fact, I can’t remember the last time it happened.
I smile and laugh when I’m uncomfortable, which isn’t great when there’s a middle aged man following me with his car.
not too often. when it does happen, i just pretend to not hear the person and keep it moving.
Never happened to me. Closest thing was when a guy was hanging out the back window of a car and threw a drink at me and told me to go home because no one wanted to see my fatass 🙃
I was once. I was like, 15.
I dont think I did respond.
Maybe like once a month, I usually just roll my eyes
I don’t respond at all because in my 35 years of life I have never been catcalled.
Literally never. Happened once in my 20s, that’s it. But I don’t go out much and mostly dress in loose-fitting unisex clothing, plus most of the time I am out somewhere I’m with my husband… so not exactly the sort of person who’s going to get much attention.
Constantly, I ignore every single one unless its creepy to the point where it needs a response lmao
After 30, hardly ever. Now it’s only as a joke from my friends when I actually dress up or put makeup on. Most of the time, I look like a cave troll.
From 18-29, quite a bit. From 12-17, a terrifying amount. I looked mature for my age (super early puberty). I have very thick hair and it was usually cut in a flattering way. At 12-15, I didn’t dress particularly provocatively, mostly T-shirts and jeans/gym shorts. I wouldn’t go outside without my dog or a friend. I got cat called a lot. Mostly by public workers (garbage men, utility men). It was gross and I felt super weird about it.
At 15-29, I definitely dressed more maturely, but still not super provocatively. The worst advances were 15-17. I had people try to grope me, brush past me on sidewalks, crowd me in elevators.
I worked at a coffee shop across from a clinic that had an NA support group. Yikes the people who were stopping in for coffee before the meeting. One time a guy tried to make an advance on me while I was working. Was saying super sexual stuff. I was 15. My boss was actually sitting right there too. I told the man “I would like you to know that you have just sexually harassed a minor. Do you see that woman over there? That’s my boss, and she just witnessed the entire conversation. I would also like you to know that I’m friends with the local police department and I have Officer B’s personal contact. I’m sure he would LOVE to come down here and handle this situation. Would you like that? No? Ok, then here’s what you’re going to do. You are going to take your coffee, and you are going to leave and never come back in here. Understood?”
He got up and left and while I saw him on the street, he never came back into the shop while I was working.
When I was in college, I started giving a bit more sass. If I got cat called, I would ask, “has this behavior EVER worked for you? I’m sure it hasn’t. Do better!” Or, “do you have a sister? What would you do if someone was talking to them like this? Would you like that? No? Then stop.”
frequently, I usually respond with “sorry I don’t have any change”
Never! I think it depends on where you live. I don’t live in a big city so I’m never walking anywhere.
I’d say whenever I go outside it’ll happen maybe 1/3 of the time? Or a 1/4 of the time depending on the time of year. I bury myself in winter gear during the colder months and no one is going to cat call someone they can’t even see hidden under layers of coats and sweaters lol. I’m very lucky in that maybe three interactions total actual scared me and made me feel threatened. All times I ignored them and powered through, determined to get to my destination. Most other times it’ll be honking from cars, the “You’re so beautiful God bless you” comments, or random people on the street/people at establishments I’m in making side remarks. Sometimes they don’t say anything but I feel them staring and again I ignore them. The most anyone will ever get out of me is a curt “thanks have a nice day” because there are definitely instances in which ignoring them just makes them angry and you’re better off acknowledging them before carrying on.
Almost everyday but i just ignore them.
I almost entirely stopped getting catcalled after turning 16. It if happens nowadays, I just don’t entertain it at all.
I was first catcalled around 12 years old. I was walking home from a friend/neighbors house (in an upper middle class neighborhood for context) on Halloween night (lots of people came to our neighborhood for Halloween, we would get nearly 500 trick-or-treaters some years). There were three men (maybe older teenagers?) shouting “Hey girl! Hey cutie!” at me from across the street. They were dressed in dark clothes and it was quite scary. I remember walking home very fast (I don’t think I ran cause I was trying to act like I didn’t hear them/ignore them entirely) to get away from them, never told my parents.
Catcalling occurred sporadically throughout my teens, mostly from men who honestly looked quite unwell. There was an uptick throughout my college years but that was probably cause I spent more time walking around urban areas. Since I’ve been out of undergrad (2ish years, I’m almost 24 now) I have not been catcalled.
My response whenever I am has always remained the same though. Other than involuntary tensing up and walking faster, I try not to respond and hope they’ll give up and leave me alone. Avoid eye contact. Though if someone ever gets too close to me I think of the SNL “Welcome to Hell” song skit when Cecily Strong acts super erratic/crazy so men would think “she’s not worth it” and I try to freak them out a little then continue walking faster until theres a more comfortable distance.
Every time in my life that I’ve been catcalled, they were doing it to be mean, not to hit on me.
I’m pushing 50, and it’s still the fastest way to hurt my feelings. Hasn’t happened to me in years which is good because I’d legit probably cry.
All the time ; ignore or run away.
Ignore it. Only once have they ever gotten mad. He just said “fuck you too” and I kept walking
almost everyday, i don’t have a car and i walk a lot since there’s a lot of stuff within walking distance from me and i live in a busy area. i also walk 2+ miles to the gym so im a victim of opportunity.
I frankly hate it and it happens sometimes.
I don’t really say anything bc most of the times I’m alone and I don’t want to put my safety at risk.
depends on the outfit and the zip code lol. sometimes I just laugh to myself bc like… that’s the line you chose?? embarrassing for u actually.
As kid and teen … too often. As young adult… still too iften. As adult, well, still too often. I am 54 now and it finally went down the last 17 years, but that can be that I am living in a rural village…
And how I respond to it? /ignore.
Super frequently before I turned 30. Now I’m 35 and maybe get catcalled once a month, maximum. I used to ignore and scurry away, then I morphed into barking at the man as I walked past, and now I stare them dead in the eyes and say nothing, and walk away. 😂 When I was younger and in my scurry phase, men who catcalled me would try to follow me home or to work, so the barking was introduced. No one follows the barking girl home. Now I’ve got my “I’m so disappointed in your behavior” teacher/mom/boss face down, and if they continue with their harassment, I will tell them to “fuck off”. My general theory is to act scarier and weirder than they are, it has a pretty good return, and typically catcallers are so thrown off by the barking or intense eye contact that they don’t get aggro.
A lot. More so when I’m pushing my baby in her stroller which is really disturbing. If I’m alone I ignore it because I don’t want to provoke any crazies, if I’m with my husband I flip them off lol
from 18-29 it was a disgusting amount. i was a sweetie back then and would often say thank you with a genuine smile on my face when i got cat-callish compliments which would then backfire because men can’t just say something nice without making it weird. i’d get followed, once was followed into my apartment elevator and pestered for my phone number. i’ve had men follow me on their bikes, in their cars. around late 20s i started getting more feisty with my replies, sometimes i’d do something gross to back them off like pick my nose in front of them or couch without covering my mouth. i’ve also faked not being able to speak english. i’ve also said to someone “sorry, i don’t have any change on me.” that gets them to go away real quick. 😂
i’m 31 now and i still often get catcalled but not as much. i still get stared at a lot. i dress more modestly than i did as a teen/twenty-something. but just yesterday i had a man honking at me and hanging out the window of his car as he drove trying to get my attention. i typically walk around with headphones nowadays so i genuinely just ignore and act like i didn’t notice their peacock behaviour.
Do men still do this?
Probably only once and that was a few weeks ago. I’m 27 and in my 27 years here, I think that was the only time I was catcalled and it more more so the guy yelling out his truck “hey girl!”.
I’m always with another person whether it be my mom or my dad or my fiance, so that could be the reason why I don’t get catcalled.
Frequently, and I just ignore it. Sometimes it can be more aggressive and therefore scarier, but I mostly can ignore it.
Catcalling is so normal to me it doesn’t even bother me I probably get catcalled 1-2 times a week but the catcalling doesn’t bother me its when they follow me around, stare,and generally just make their very close presence and words uncomfortable that bothers me. For catcalling just a glance and look away is appropriate for the comments and low key stalker behavior I receive several times a week its worse than catcalling for me I would rather be catcalled several times a day than here some of the disgusting comments ive heard from men in my lifetime im only 23 like damn leave me tf alone my attractiveness is not an invitation to talk to me,stand near me, or follow me. Please I’ll take catcalling over that 😭 behavior every single time.
Trusty old middle finger. One time a man followed me for an extended time and the I just turned around and barked at him as loud as I could while making crazy eyes. That was very effective, but draws in more attention from bystanders.
When I was underage, it happened frequently, and I just tried to ignore it because I didn’t know what else to do. My dad was with me one time when I happened and he almost killed the guy.
Now that I’m an adult, I really only get it in a positive way (genuine compliments, usually from other women or queer men hyping me up but sometimes hetero men too, nothing really offensive or creepy), so I respond with a “thank youuu 😁”, compliment them back if something strikes me, and move along with a nice confidence boost.
I used to be All the time. I would just give them the bird and ignore it or give a friendly “fuck off :)”
Now I have a baby with me most of the time and it pretty much never happens.
Not as often as i did when i was in my late teens and early-mid twenties but i did get cat called on tuesday by the garbage truck guys when i was walking on the sidewalk with my son
Never. I’m close to 40 and I’m fat, lol. I got cat called all the time when I was a teenager or in my early twenties. I’ve “aged out” for these creepy ass men.
I get cat called often. I’ll usually flash them either tits or ass.
Never been catcalled in my life.
Happens to me all the time, even now that I’m married (a week away from turning 26.)
Most of the time the catcalling is combined with the really gross Asian fetishism. Way too many guys yell out a “Ni hao” or “Konnichiwa” trying to get my attention. I don’t speak any Asian languages – only English and French (and also Sign Language, which actually helps me sometimes when I can pretend to be deaf.)
I had one security guard at my workplace who would shout out some innuendoes sometimes as I would pass by his desk every morning and night. This idiot decided to give me a nickname: “Lingling” as a stereotypical Asian name. Jokes on him, my heritage is a Japanese-Korean mix so his nickname doesn’t even match my true ethnicity.
Dude eventually got fired when my company did a sexual-harassment purge.
Anytime I’m in a major city. I used to live in Philly and it was constant. Since I’ve moved to a smaller town, almost never. When I travel to Boston or D.C. for work, it happens every time.
I never have been.
Hit ’em with YE OL DICK TWIST. Works every time.
I haven’t been catcalled in years, I’m 30 now. It happened the most when I was 14-21. When I was younger, I would just ignore them like I didn’t hear them, to try and diffuse the situation. Nowadays my instinct is to crack up laughing! A real cackle.
The last time I was catcalled, I was with my wife walking down the sidewalk. We aren’t subtle about being lesbians, we both had wild dyed hair at the time, were wearing shorts with unshaven legs, and were holding hands. A guy walking towards us looked us up and down and unironically said “atta girls” and slowed his pace a little as he approached. We died laughing and walked right past him! He was probably twice our age. “Atta girls” lmao
Only once. Some dudes shouted at me some very disgustingly crude remarks from a car while I was walking home from school. I didn’t have a chance to react nor would I want to. I think I was 16.
Other than that never. I was hit on, but not catcalled.
In the Middle East, men will follow women down the street and say pssst, like the way you’d call a cat. I started responding by making the same sound, and it works pretty well. They just laugh and realize how ridiculous it sounds.
I pretend not to hear it. It happens maybe once or twice a month. And it usually happens while I’m walking to work.
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Catcalling started for me since I was 10 and has been going on consistently until now, nowadays I just keep walking but if it’s someone who’s coming towards me I just stop and ask him what he’s expecting to happen, they usually go on their way on their own.
I have never been catcalled.
Im 20 years old and I haven’t been catcalled since I was about 15
depends on the area, but in busy cities? Pretty often. I usually ignore it or throw a quick “you good?” if I feel safe enough to say something. Most times I just keep walking with my headphones in like I didn’t hear a thing
Probably like once a month at least. It’s really slowed down since my teen years😒😒(seeing a lot of people say it’s less as you get older……men can be fucking concerning)
From ages 10-30, non-stop. I’m 32 now (and don’t even look any different lmao), it’s less frequent, but it still happens. I don’t mind whenever black men do it. They’re polite about their approach 99% of the time, so I just thank them and move along. Those old white men tho? They are so disrespectful and intrusive that I really be making them feel like trash. Had a gun pulled on me once because he had the nerve to try to flirt with me as I walked to my car with my biracial son, with a confederate flag as his front license plate. My mouth almost got me killed w my kid one day, just for denying AN OLD MAN! A racist one at that. You got me fucked up.
LOL never. Only happened once or twice in my life, in my younger years. Listening to women complain about how often it happens to them really solidifies how unattractive I am 🙁 Kinda hurts tbh
After 35, I was never really cat called again. Before I just ignored it. Several times I acted like they were gentlemen and turned them down gracefully, which really threw them off their game. I think the last I was catcalled was after I became a minister and you should have seen the look on his face when I turned around with my clergy collar on. Lol, priceless!
In my teens and 20s, I got hit on and cat called CONSTANTLY. I didn’t really care about the cat calling at all, never responded. But the people hitting on me really bothered me because NO was never enough of an answer. Now I’m in my 30s, rarely go out and out myself in the same types of situations, so getting catcalls and hit on is very rare and I love it. Getting older fucking rules.
literally any time i actually get dressed. i have to go out dressed sloppy otherwise i get catcalled atleast once and followed either around or home. literally happened 4 times yesterday on my way home and one followed me. i had to walk 4 extra blocks to get him to leave so i could go home.
I run on my street. I get catcalled on 90% of my runs at least once. I am catcalled in my city outside of running 1-4x per week. I thought it would be less as I aged. I’ll be 36 this month and it’s still awful.
Edit to add: I have a range of ways I respond. I’m usually aggressive. I’ll tell them to go fuck themselves, to leave me alone or I’ll literally bark like a dog. I’ve been sexualized by strangers since I was a literal child. I’m kinda done being “nice”.
To me it hardly ever happens and then I usually ignore it
complete disregard and attempts to find more people to feel safe + quick step. this happens or something similar happens about 15-20% of the time when I leave the house
Very often and usually he didn’t pay attention to it.
im 18 rn and i only get catcalled when i wear something thats a tiny bit close to the body.
shorts too…
it makes me feel weird when i know that im freshly 18 and the men hitting on me look grown grown
Barely ever. But when it happens I freeze up because I’m scared 😢
When I was 16-22ish I was super thin and ran almost daily. I got cat called on every single run. At least once, sometimes up to 5 times.
I’m 30 now and no longer thin. I still run a lot but I’d say I still get cat called at least once a month.
Noticed a huge shift once I was no longer thin like a child…which is gross.
I’ve lost count from the amount of times I get honked at by men in cars and vans when I’m out walking by myself. I just give them dirty looks but they’re usually laughing with each other if they’re in groups or have no shame to keep staring
Not often. I usually assume they’re talking to someone else.
I can remember being 8 months pregnant walking down a street and being catcalled/honked at from behind by a jeep full of 20 year old boys (I was 27 at the time) til they passed me and saw my gigantic pregnant belly.
Now I’m 59 and yesterday a CLEARLY homeless man on the streets of London catcalled and started to approach me saying “I like that shirt, where you from hun”. Yep.
I have spanish origin in spain it s considered rude not to make a nice piropos my 70 year old mom get them there
In france all the time they had to pass a law to forbid it. In rural California very rarely or maybe because I m in my 30s?
Reaction depends to not make them angry thank you but no thank you or not interested or a joke if they are joking
One homeless person in SF asked very loudly in a group would you marry me for 1 night I replied exaggerating my french accent it depends are you a us citizen? Made them laugh
I dont go out much – but there were a few years of my early 20s where I was going out to the bars either only with girls or with some men and women, or just my partner at the time.
I had never really gotten catcalled before but one night specifically when I was out with the girls, there were two men walking behind us and were commenting on how I looked. And then entering a bar, I was waiting for a bathroom and one guy began trying to chat me up. That same night and same bar, three men at the bar were trying to chat me up again.
I don’t go out much anymore lol
I’ve only been catcalled as a minor. I’ve heard many other women say the same.
Almost daily unfortunately. Headphones in, eyes forward, ignore and walk faster. It’s like background noise now, which is depressing in itself.
40 year old here. I still get catcalled. It started when I was 11. Now when I was in my 20s and 30s I was a completely different person, unhealed from past traumas so I thought any attention was better than none, even if it made me uncomfortable. After lots of growing and therapy, now I don’t look at it like that at ALL. Now I say something, depending on the situation. Don’t make me feel uncomfortable because you can’t control yourself like a child. It’s gross.
When I was a kid/teen/young adult it was once or twice a week, now at 28 every few months. My answer to being cat called is just give them a lifeless look and say “I’m sure your parents must be proud” and leave
I’m 24 and surprisingly not much as a child but now that I’m grown, I get little remarks daily.
Almost every time I went out to the mall or got on the subway from ages 14-17. But now not really ever
i usually ignore it, it happens almost every time i’m alone and not with family :/
Everyday when my owner feeds me or calls me inside because of fireworks.
Ps. I am a cat
I stopped hearing it. I know they do it. I stopped paying attention.
The few times they’ve managed to catch my attention though, I laugh at them. Or flip them off.
Or I go, “HUH, did you hear something?? I thought I heard something….”
It really perturbs them.
In my 20’s a lot. Now in my 30’s only occasionally when it happens if it’s broad daylight and people are around I just say “thank you” in a sing songy sarcastic voice. If other people aren’t near by and it’s broad daylight I walk faster, cross the street, have 911 dialed and ready. If it’s night time, I don’t walk or go anywhere alone and wouldn’t risk it.
A few days ago a guy catcalled me while I was crossing the street and he was stopped at a red light. I was in an angry mood already and flicked my cigarette at his car hood without thinking. He got maaaad lol but couldn’t move cause he was stopped. Next time I might throw something heavier…
I don’t find myself extremely attractive, however, I know I’m not unattractive. I’m a thicker white girl with a pretty big backside. I live in an urban area and I get catcalled on a daily basis. I’ve had someone follow me to my house bc they recognized my car and had seen me at the store and tried to get my number. Most times I just smile and keep walking and ignore them. The guy who followed me got cussed out.
Sometimes and I completely ignore them like I didn’t hear anything.
I’m 26 and get cat called too frequently. Even when I’m with my kids. ICK!! I don’t respond, just a glare and walk away.
Almost every day on my way to and from work. I dont react at all.
Not too often as I don’t go out much but in college it was a decent amount and I’d always respond with “sorry I have a penis” just confusion and terror, made it worth it
Some people have that “you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take” personality and completely disregard formality.
It’s life.
A lot, maybe once a week or every other week, depends how often I go out. At the mall someone would whisper usually
I haven’t been catcalled since I was like 19. I’m turning 28. I got catcalled a lot when I was super young. Like 13-17. Then progressively less until never again.
My response is usually the finger. One time I spoke back because it was a group of men. They just laughed at me and I rolled my eyes. I was in the self checkout at a Kroger.
At 56, they get a thumbs ip
Of they catcall me now. In my younger years, probably a glare.
It happens every now and again and I just yell out “sorry I don’t have any spare change”
When I lived in Philadelphia every single day. I mostly either ignored it or made a disgusted face
Very rarely. I ignore it.
I stopped getting catcalled after I turned like 21-22. I got SO much catcalling when I was in high school, especially around 16-17. It was gross.
As a young woman all the time. Will usually make some comment to make them feel insecure if I’m feeling snarky or just ignore them. I also have friends that we do it to each other as a joke all the time tho and I’ll just catcall them right back