“OH SWEETIE, I’M GOING TO THINK ABOUT THAT BOOTY FOR THE REST OF THE DAY…” The internet is filled with all the negative aspects of catcalling. Indeed, the majority of women are frustrated,

disturbed, and sometimes even scared by men who comment either nicely or slightly inappropriately on their appearance. Women judge, fight, and deem catcalling to be ‘street harassment’. Many

people and even some studies demand catcalling to be criminalized as of its negative effects on women and society as well. Let us pause for a moment. Is this really of such a big issue? I

mean, I understand. We have to draw a strict line between what is appropriate and what is already harassment. But I think, with catcalling we went a bit too far. Yes. I think our society is

from the somewhat less educated members of our society who might not be able to lead a social interaction according to our standards. They might solely want to express their adoration even

though it is in a less accepted way aka via whistling, shouting, and commenting. Third, if we say catcalling has to be penalized, where do we draw a line? Should gazing be already punished

by prison? Are the phrases ‘sexy’ or ‘hi beautiful’ already inappropriate enough to make the abuser pay hundreds of bucks? Lastly, if we claim how horribly catcalling objectifies women, I

have to ask a thought-provoking question: Is that truly a wrong thing? Why should a blue-collar worker for example be aware of my intellectual value, when all he can see is my big booty

walking by next to him? Let’s unravel the less-discussed factors of catcalling with its positive aspects. I ASKED MY FRIENDS WHAT DO THEY THINK ABOUT CATCALLING I don’t know about you, but I

love it when men compliment my appearance even if it is done in a slightly inappropriate way, on the streets. It can cheer me up on a blue day and gives me a confidence boost. In fact, I

like making others’ day better with my appearance. When I smile back or say ‘thank you’ for the compliment, the catcallers are mostly also content and cheerful. A few seconds later life goes

on. Nobody was hurt, scared, harassed, or humiliated. My friends think quite similarly about the topic: _“I perceive catcalling as positive feedback towards my appearance, I don’t think

this is something offensive. Sometimes it is not even sexual. And we also do this. Do you remember when we were catcalling some handsome guys from the car last summer?”_ _“I never understood

why people take this so seriously, I think men don’t despise women, simply just compliment on their appearance.”_ _“I don’t think catcalling should be banned. It is kind of part of our

society. And to a certain extent, there is nothing wrong with it”_ _“I think this is a confidence-boost for some women. And I like it.”_ _“I never had a bad experience with catcalling, I

like when men comment on my appearance in a slightly inappropriate way.”_ _“No joke, I was catcalled today by a group of Roma guys, and even though it was quite inappropriate, I got a kinda

confidence boost. It was a compliment after all.”_ _“Well, at the end of the day catcalling is still simply a way to express one’s adoration, similarly when someone gazes intrusively. But

the latter is also accepted in upper social classes.”_ This last thought leads us directly to my second point. WHO IS CATCALLING? One less discussed factor is who is actually doing the

catcall. We tend to put men into the same box, and forget about their social status or education. It is however an important variable. While maybe where we come from catcalling is considered

street harassment, the person who is doing it might have simply just learned it is a form of social interaction. Let me tell you the story of where I first thought about education and

social status do matter in this regard as well. I was catcalled quite inappropriately by a man of color. I see him every day I go to university as he’s selling newspapers in the subway

station. He’s catcalling everybody. Every day. I think with my university colleagues we all agree his kinds of catcalls brighten up our days. We adore him and love how he’s saying ‘hey’,

‘have a good day’, ‘hi beautiful’ every time we get off the underground. My university years would be less cheerful without him. One day though, he went a little bit too far. I was dressed

up nicely, and when I walked by next to him, I heard a loud “Oh sweetie, I’m going to think about that booty for the rest of the day…” comment on my body. Well, I’m not saying his behavior

was completely correct according to my standards, but I certainly don’t want him to be punished for this. In my opinion, whistling, honking, and inappropriate comments do not fit the

category of harassment. He was neither following me nor touching me. I also believe according to his standards, the style was simply nice and accurate. He expressed his adoration without any

bad intentions. Until catcalling is not going too far, we, the ‘victims’ could be a little tolerant towards the people who are doing it. Not everybody who is catcalling is an ignorant

person who wants to abuse us. The hard question is, what does exactly the “ going too far” phrase mean…? WHERE TO DRAW THAT THIN LINE? Many people argue, catcalling is a form of sexual

harassment, and it should be even punished. My question is, where to draw a line? How far can men go with catcalling? How can men know they did something the other person might have

perceived as harassment? Is ‘have a good day beautiful’ with a provocative tone of voice already harassment? Can a passer-by report my favorite newspaper seller because of his ‘Oh sweetie,

I’m going to think about that booty for the rest of the day” comment on my body? Where to pull the line? How to know whether people feel frustrated by the comments? What about people like me

who enjoy getting the attention, and don’t mind getting provocative comments at all? I’m a girl, still, with my friends, I honked and shouted improper comments to a bunch of men many times.

I feel I did nothing wrong. We were just having fun and wanted to give a little attention to the boys. Were we committing a crime? In some countries, definitely. In countries like France or

the Philippines, catcalling punishable. What is more, in the Philippines, intrusive gazing can be already punished by prison. In France, men who engage in catcalling have to pay up to €750

since 2018. Is “have a nice day beautiful” truly such a big issue…? WHY IS BEING OBJECTIFIED BY STRANGERS HARMFUL? Lastly, I don’t think because of being objectified by the men on the

streets I am of less value. No, I’m a strong, intellectual woman, who is proud of it. But why do others have to see this? I’m perfectly fine with strangers not perceiving me the way my

friends or my love do. Honestly, they don’t have to. They have nothing to do with who I am. They only see my appearance and from my perspective, there is nothing wrong with complimenting it.

A study also backs my opinion up. Catcalling usually doesn’t lead to the self-objectification of women. To put it simply, just because some people make remarks on our appearance, most of us

won’t start thinking about our bodies as an object. Interestingly, studies also don’t support the claims that catcalling would negatively affect a woman’s body image. BOTTOM LINE The issue

of catcalling is not as black and white, as we most of the time read about it on the internet. While catcalling might be fun for some and disturbing for others, it definitely has a culture.

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t feel either happier or safer with the absence of catcalling. Apparently, Elisabeth Gilbert neither. > “However, if I may admit something not 

entirely flattering to > myself, these Romans on the street aren’t really giving me any > second looks. Or even many first looks, for that matter. I found > this kind of alarming at

 first. I’d been to Italy once before, > back when I was nineteen, and what I remember is being constantly > harassed by men on the street. And in the pizzerias. And at the > 

movies. And in the Vatican. It was endless and awful. It used to be > a real liability about traveling in Italy, something that could > almost even spoil your appetite. Now, at the age

 of thirty-four, I > am apparently invisible. Sure, sometimes a man will speak to me in a > friendly way, “You look beautiful today, signorina,” but it’s > not all that common and 

it never gets aggressive. And while it’s > certainly nice, of course, to not get pawed by a disgusting stranger > on the bus, one does have one’s feminine pride, and one must > 

wonder, What has changed here? Is it me? Or is it them?” — > Elizabeth Gilbert BEFORE YOU LEAVE In this article, solely the category of catcalling was discussed that is > “the act of 

shouting harassing and often sexually suggestive, > threatening, or derisive comments at someone publicly” — Merriam > Webster definition. or > “Rude sexual remarks made by men 

passing women on the street. > Usually “catcalls” are about the woman’s body as a whole or a > certain feature.” — Urban Dictionary definiton. The article is not touching upon the deep

topic of harassment. The author of the article is clearly against any form of assault.