Women's rights on walking

A few months back I read an article in a magazine about men cat-calling, whistling, or touching women walking by and thing it was OK for them to do that. It was written by a woman who had recently had these things done to her. She decided that it was no longer OK and that she should not have to feel scared or annoyed at the thought of walking on certain streets because of the men.

I wholly support the action she took to stop the men from doing those things. She did her research, she spoke up, she lead a community in educating people about why it should not be considered normal or OK to treat women in that regard, but I didn't understand why it upset her so much. Until now.

Today I was walking to class and a boy cat called me and whistled at me. Now this has happened to me many times before. It never bothered me before and often times I would get a little ego boost when men would honk, whistle, or look me over.

This time it was different. Instead of getting my usual ego boost I felt extremely annoyed. There was no reason for him to whistle at me or cat call me.

It was rude and quiet frankly a big turn off. I love getting compliments, but that doesn't mean I like men blatantly showing me disrespect just because I am a woman.

Men who cat call and whistle at women and touch them without their permission are cowards. They are the reason most women hate walking down streets or feel that there are no good, a.k.a polite and respectful, men where they live.

Men doing these things to us may seem like the norm and not a big deal, but that is only because we have allowed them to think that it is OK.

It is up to us ladies to stand up for ourselves and say what we think, what we believe and how people can and cannot treat us. I am not saying change will happen over night. I am saying that it needs to happen.

So the next time a guy does one of these things or a combination of them I am going to stop him and ask why. I will tell him to stop and I will tell him that isn't how you show appreciation towards women.

For me being disrespected in the streets ends today.