Wait a minute-I have a face?

Author: Amy de Salvo
Country: Ireland


My friends and I have recently noticed that no matter where we go, there has been almost always some crude comment made about us, by young boys to men who are ten years older than us. My friends are usually happy to let it float over their heads, and ignore it, but it feels like I'm betraying myself and what my true feelings are if I don't turn and ask them "Do you have something to say to me?" and send them into a ripple of shock that I can speak up for myself. The most recent case that we have been subjected to was from children, ranging from five to ten, shouting "hey hotties," and wolf whistling at us-it is like we're robots without feelings, without a care what people like them say to us. I turned on my heel, it was as if for the first time they had noticed I had a face.
The boy who had evidently said this to me, was immediatly frightened and stammered something about him not saying it, that it was his friend. I shook my head and walked off, I didn't need to say anything. It wasn't that they had called at me like that, it was that people think it's socially acceptable. That people can shout from their cars at young girls, they think that it's okay for people to do that. It's like we have no face, no personailty, that we are just walking dolls or something.
I don't really care about men ten years older than me yelling at me in the streets, it shows their poor upbringing and lack of manners, but it frightens me to think that young children are starting to do the exact same, like a ripple effect, it's cool if their brothers do it right?
I've always been told it's because they like you, that they do this, but I personally think it's for attention, maybe I shouldn't give it to them by turning to ask them what they wanted, but it's something that I get pleasure out of to see the look on their face, the look that reads something along the lines of "Oh my god, bad idea," I think that it should be reinforced everywhere, that you turn and ask what they want, it shocks them that maybe, just maybe you have a brain and have a life other than them shouting at you.
The last thing is, I think that any male who shouts at a woman should know that it doesn't make us like you, it doesn't make you look great in front of your friends and it most definitly doesn't make you more eligible to date. It just upsets people, like my friends and I, who are just trying to do what you're doing, calling to see if a friend can come outside, buying a chocolate bar or renting a video. I resent the difference between a male going out with their friends and a girl going out with their friends, it's not fair that we have to put up with wolf-whistles and not many of them do. I Can't wait until the day that I can go somewhere without being shouted at by children or older teens who just haven't grown up.