Strawberry Hips

Some friends and I were headed out to a bar in Brighton, MA. None of us were scantily clad but y'know, to the drunken public I'm sure we looked hot. As we were waiting to cross the street, a car with some dude leaning out the window drove by, and as he passed us he shouted "GOTTA LOVE THOSE STRAWBERRY HIPS!!" .....at least that was what we thought he said. We were so confused, what the hell are strawberry hips? Is it a compliment? It was a few blocks later when we realized that he had actually said, "gotta love those CHILD-BEARING hips." Still not sure if that is a compliment.

-Ilana

Bienvenido a Miami!

I've been in Miami for four days and I haven't been catcalled once yet. Very surprising - I thought I'd be racking them up this week. I've still got three days to go so I'll keep you posted.

UM-brella

A friend reminded me of a classic cat call that she received in the late 90's. She was walking down the street in New York City on a rainy day when a man called out,

"Honey, you need an UMbrella. Sugar melts."

Popcorn-Selling Slut

My most memorable catcall was while working my summer job at the movie theater in my hometown during my summer off from college. Its a nice, suburban town outside of Boston and its pretty safe.

I was walking to work wearing a long-sleeved white blouse and a black A-line skirt. It was short but not THAT short. These three guys were walking in the same direction on the opposite side of the street as me. I walked by the high school and decided to take a shortcut, so I split off in a different direction as the guys. As soon as I was on a different path but still in their eyeline and earshot they screamed out, "SHOW US YOUR UNDERWEAR! SHOW US YOUR UNDERWEAR! SHOW US YOUR UNDERWEAR!!" I think I felt anger and yet I was also laughing on the inside. I don't know why but it is one of those weird cat-calls that stuck in my head for over 10 yrs...

Then I went straight to work and told our boss Gregg about the incident. He actually got really angry and overprotective then asked me to describe the guys so he could find them in the center of town and kick their asses... which at least made me feel less annoyed.

-Miranda

He's No Angel

Oh, catcalls! I have heard just about every line in the book. The past few years I haven't heard as much and I have to wonder, is it me? Am I losing my hotness factor, or are men just more respectable?

I remember walking down Ludlow when I first moved to New York City. Two guys were walking towards me and one of them says to me, "I didn't know Angels flew so low!" and then his friend, who either thought they were running late, or had heard the line too man times before says, "They don't, Son! Now, Let's go!!" LOL. The intial terror I'd initally felt turned into laughter.

-Meri

Fuzzy Hat-Wearing Whore

I've decided its time to do something productive with the all the cat calls I receive in New York City. Its incredible how often it happens and how oblivious many normal, respectful men are of this occurrence because it rarely happens in front of them (but when it does, its particularly shocking).

I used to think that maybe it was provoked by how a girl looks or what she's wearing but over the years I've discovered that it makes little difference whether the girl is scantily-clad or bundled up for winter. I also realize that cat calls can happen to men as well but its less frequent unless you are in Chelsea!

Cat calls happen very often, especially in big cities but, of course, I don't get them everyday. So, if you have a cat call that you would want to share, please send them to me so I can keep posting as close to a daily basis as possible. Please include place, time and a name (fake if you so desire). Photo as well, if you are particularly daring.

So let me start this blog off with a fairly innocuous cat call:

Saturday night, I was walking down Ave B between 4th and 5th streets in Manhattan wearing my winter coat and my big, puffy, fake-fur hat that makes me look as though I am prepared for the Tundra. A guy who was apparently working for a film crew stopped and called out, "Hey! Can I wear your hat? My ears are cold!"

Now this was one of the less offensive calls that I've gotten over the years but I still shook my head with amazement. Who are these men who call out to random, female strangers? Do they expect a response? A conversation? A friendship? Love???

No, dude! Put on some hand-earmuffs for what I'm about to say: "FUCK OFF!"