There are fewer catcalls from construction workers because more women complain about them and there are more women working in construction, according to the Miami Herald.
I don’t know about you but I haven’t been harassed by construction workers in years. I always get upset when I see them continued to be stereotyped in commercials, tv shows, and movies as the only street harassers because in my experience, it’s the random guys passing me in cars or standing on the street that harass! Men on public transportation are also a big pain, especially when they grope you or start masturbating in front of you. So reducing the ugliness of street harassment to a few whistles from construction workers trivializes something that is a big problem for a lot of women and does nothing to help educate people about its pervasiveness or the negative impact it can have on women’s lives.
What have been your experiences with construction workers? Have you reported them if you’ve been harassed? Do you think they still deserve to be stereotyped as harassers?
And, as always with articles condemning street harassment that allow people to leave comments, there are some real “gems” following this one. For example, these two:
“People that complain about catcalls are spoiling one of the few opportunities for a bad looking gal to raise their self steem [sic] and feel good about her looks. Gernerally, [sic] the complainers are people that want to express their disatisfaction [sic] with life, in other words they are sour and disgruntled.”
[like women really want to be judged “poor looking” and then get shouted at out of pity. thank you for your charity mr. god’s gift to women.]
“As American President of NACHOS, National Associaton of Catcalling Hardhatted Ogres, I demand our right of free speech. When women dress they way they do then get mad at the result its time to look at the real problem here.”
[poor man, the real problem appears to be that he has no control over his mouth and loves victim blaming]
Oiye oiye oiye … so much education is needed!!
Christa says
Amen. Yesterday I responded, “A woman should be able to wear whatever she wants [knee-length skirt and low heels] without getting stared at.” He backed off, but was offended, haha.