Wolf whistling, ok. Or offensive. Thoughts!

When I was younger like many others I would get whistled at, I certainly never took it seriously, I saw it for what it was a bit of harmless fun, it used to make me smile, and yes I saw it as a compliment, never ever felt threatened by them, why would i

Unfortunately, anyone old enough to appreciate my charms and wolf whistle at me might find that his false teeth shoot across the pavement.

Callistemon - brilliant!

<sigh>

One of my most uncomfortable memories is of several army vehicles coming down the high street as I was walking to the village shop. I was around fourteen years old and all the soldiers hung out the back, shouting and whistling, as I walking. It was a most unpleasant, embarrassing and humiliating experience and I remember I was almost in tears.

I don't believe whistling and shouting out comments is meant to be complimentary or to make a woman feel good about herself. I think men who carry on like that do it mostly for the benefit of other men - to show that they are "in charge", "one of the lads", etc, etc. Pathetic.

In my view, it is demeaning and disrespectful, and women who think it reflects an appreciation of their attractiveness are, I believe, rather proud, silly and deluded.

Haven't heard one of those in the last half century.?

Wolf whistling is a thing I find you never hear now. Whistling, in general, seems to have almost completely disappeared which is a great shame.

I can remember as a child our milkman was always whistling some popular tune as he delivered the milk in the early hours. It was also always good to hear people whistling tunes in their workplaces, but that also seems to be a lost art now sadly.

Wolf whistles at it's height, was always the preserve of builders who were working on scaffolding in the 1960s

What about just "turning heads"? The idea of dressing 'to turn heads' used to be used in fashion ads. I don't know if it still is.

Thing is, we are sexual 'objects whether we like it or not. All life forms that reproduce sexually are. That's not all we are, obviously, and I guess we become less so when we've passed our reproductive stage.

I received my first wolf whistle as a 13 year old schoolgirl in uniform! And yes I walked past a building site in the early '60s. As you can see I can still remember it!

I don’t like them - why would I? I don’t feel the need to be ogled at by a bunch of men and whistled at like a sheep or a dog. It’s becoming a thing of the past now though, thankfully, which means my DD and her friends no longer have to suffer them.

I found it embarrassing as a young girl. I used to try to walk past, without drawing attention. They would often say " Smile Love it may never happen. " I wasn't confident and I hated it. Just the way I was. I didn't want them to pass judgement as I walked to school.

Men digging holes in the road or pavement were the worst as they couldn't be avoided.

I didn't find them offensive at all, just a bit of fun. I think any lewd comments which accompanied the whistle were offensive. I do remember walking down the road many years ago, in winter as I was wearing a heavy coat, I got whistled at from behind me and he got a shock when I turned around as I was about eight months pregnant.

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Massively pissed me off, at one stage of my life, early 20s working in the West End where a load of construction was going on near the office I was working at. On my daily walk in to work, like other young females, the barrage of cat calling and whistling would begin, followed by the ever so original "cheer up love, it might never happen" is there anything more inane than shouting that out to someone you don't know Are women supposed to appreciate any of that, I don't think so! I certainly didn't I just worked hard at honing my best resting bitch face that one!

women who think it reflects an appreciation of their attractiveness are, I believe, rather proud, silly and deluded.

Miaow

I'm sorry minty, I very much agree with Eloethan's comment, there may be a minority who will be flattered, no one I knew was. I had a great German female colleague, also early 20s, very confident and direct, we often walked in and lunched together, she in her inimitable way once went over to some of the worst offenders when they addressed her with their brain dead observations and retorted "I don't know you so don't speak to me" temporarily shut them up.

My perception is that it's all about bravado, to impress their mates!

I'm more than happy for anyone to agree or disagree

But to call women who didn't mind getting a whistle, 'proud, silly and deluded' was rather harsh

That's just in my 'proud, silly and deluded' opinion , of course

Nothing personal!

It does not happen these days as with mobile phones carried by, all if some lad "fancies someone" he just sends them a text.

If he or she does not no anyone they fancy they just contact a dating agency.

All very unromantic I find compared to our day when you had to gather up the guts and actually go over, speak to them, and ask them for a date.

Anyway, I am off to the office before I get carried away with all this reminiscing. My wife is in fits of laughter at this thread

If you were with your mates it was just about tolerable. As a shy, large chested teen, I found it vile. Of course nobody was remotely interested in my feelings.

No=know above.

MY DH, who could not whistle, always said 'Wheet Whoo' when I appeared in a new outfit or with a new hairdo. I took it as a compliment.

I agree. I think it is demeaning and objectifying. Basically it is someone saying 'I want to have sex with you',

Give me strength!! I used to get wolf whistled when young and one job I had involved passing 3 building sites going to and from work twice a day. I admit I used to dread it but being^^ honest, I would have hated it more if I hadn’t had any. I never, ever took it as they were meaning they wanted to have sex with me. Ridiculous comment in my opinion.

At it's worst it's intimidating, I first experienced it aged about 12 and the final time, I remember it because I was actually pregnant with my first child. Just glad that's a door that's been firmly shut for me, no don't miss it all.

It’s never a compliment, it’s not intended to be one.
My husband was genuinely shocked and furious when our 12 an 13 year old daughters were whistled, shouted at by men in vans, cars - usually with accompanying arm or hand signals. This happened when they were with their dad. They calmed him down, don’t be shocked dad, it happens all the time, you have to ignore it.
A bit of harmless fun - nope

What a lot of fuss about nothing!!

I certainly was whistled in my youth in the 60s and 70s and although I remember feeling a little bit embarrassed, I definitely viewed it as a compliment.

In fact I assumed everyone would see it as just some lighthearted flattery, until I read some of the rather straight-laced comments on here !

These days of course men are probably too afraid of being accused of sexual harassment to risk giving an attractive girl a wolf whistle.

What a shame.