Wolf whistling, ok. Or offensive. Thoughts!

I really don't understand why people who find it unpleasant are accused of being humourless, uptight, unconfident, immature etc etc. I just don't see the logic. Whatever else it is, wold-whistling isn't funny, is it? So how is objecting to it linked to having no sense of humour? The same lack of logic applies to the other accusations. They just make no sense to me.

I agree.

Being told that I likely just needed more emotional Intelligence to appreciate it is baffling.

Wolfwhistles didn't bother me years ago but I feel times have changed. They aren't acceptable now.

We used to think there was something wrong with us if we walked by a building site or a hole in the road and didn’t get a whistle!

Extremely offensive

Used to love a wolf whistle. I think any guy on a building site would be too scared to do it now for fear of being sacked. No fun any more. Political correctness has made everything so much more serious.

I would say offensive.

Loved it when I got wolf whistled a few weeks after having my first baby ?

I have always been appalled by wolf whistles, any personal remarks and the leering remarks that men love to make like cor, I hate it its demeaning. I also have never let any man buy me a drink or food. It's also demeaning. I will buy my own food thank you.
Anyone who likes this is encouraging the men. We will never get true equality if we allow ghis

I don’t miss it. I like not being a sex object. I feel more free. I feel like I can go about under the radar.

This thread has brought back memories for me. I once had a man come up to me and ssy" get yer tits out for the lads". This was so humiliating. This was a popular saying a few years ago. I have had men rubbing their crotch in front of me and worse so really a wolk whistle is the least of my worries. This is quite upsetting

I think a lot of the men wolf-whistling or making comments mean/meant no harm and would probably be surprised or ashamed of their behaviour if they realised it upset or frightened any of the women on the receiving end. However, I think in many cases it can be a conscious expression of their objectification of women. It may be a mild expression of such views but, in my opinion, should not be trivialised or considered harmless given what the worst expressions of such views can be. Some of us may have felt nonplussed or even flattered by whistles and cat calls but how many women who've suffered abuse or rape have found these things terrifying? Also, how many young men who, for whatever reason, do not have the respect for women that they should will think such behaviour from mates who are family men in long-term relationships (and maybe with daughters of their own) is confirmation that women don't deserve respect and are just there to be used for men's sexual gratification. We've come a long way in the last 50 years in terms of respect and equality - we don't want to lose any of the ground that's been taken.

I haven't heard a wolf-whistle for years! Do men still whistle young girls?

I used to be flattered by it - but would frown at the men, whilst smiling to myself.

I don't see any harm in it at all. Just as I don't see any harm in young men flirting with girls. (Touching or groping is another thing altogether!)

When I was about 18, and walking through Soho, a van-driver leaned out of his window and shouted, "Now that's the kind of arse I like!" I must admit that I was offended, at the time, by this surprise remark - but my husband and I have laughed about it ever since!

To those who interject with their one line suppositions of "I loved it" fine that's your prerogative, but you might also take the time to read others experiences, before you put forward "political correctness gone mad" conclusion.

" political correctness gone mad" , what does that mean exactly?

Its not OK to make people feel uncomfortable.

Not a fan!
When DD1 was in her second year of secondary school (age 12!) there was a development of new houses being built at the end of our road and DD had to walk past it on her way to school. she came home very upset about the wolf whistles and rude suggestions coming from the builders there! Especially targeted at her while wearing school uniform! As a lone woman, I didn’t really know how to handle it
and was anxious about tackling a group of men, but when I mentioned it to some friends, the husbands of two of them went over and spoke to the site foreman and it thankfully stopped.
I am sure some people enjoy wolf whistles but there will be many who don’t and that’s very reasonable

Especially if they are 12!

Reading some of the comments in this thread make me doubly glad that this behaviour has been consigned to the dustbin. Women and girls should be free to come and go without this type of intimidation.

I never minded really. I used to hate walking past the bin men every week though, when I was about 15. They’d just stop what they were doing, and stare more than whistle. In the end, I took a different, longer route to school to avoid them! The one time I remember hating it, was when I walked past a building site, pushing my newborn first child. That did make me feel dirty. Many years later, and often out with my teenage daughters, we would argue over who was being whistled at. I said it was me of course, who else would it be!!?

This is sexual harassment and why on earth should women and young girls have to be subjected to it, be it a building site or in town of an evening. I’m not objecting to a bit of consensual fun in the workplace between colleagues, but that isn’t what we’re talking about and harassment isn’t fun. It’s intimidating and offensive. Can you imagine women doing this to young men?
Thankfully site managers and companies have worked hard over the past decade or two to educate their staff and incase education doesn’t work, there’s also a threat of sacking to ensure wolf whistles and sexualised comments are thankfully a thing of the past now

I think if if you mind then it’s offensive and if you don’t it’s harmless .

The trouble is how is the whistler to know which is which ?

From a personal viewpoint it doesn’t worry me one bit .

Well the whistler just shouldn’t. Full stop.

The trouble is how is the whistler to know which is which ?

The whistler doesn’t give a toss whether the recipient finds it offensive or not. Otherwise he wouldn’t do it.

It’s the whistler who’s offensive.

TrendyNannie6 To answer your original question posed, without doing the sums, it would seem most Gransnetters are opposed wolf-whistling as offensive and, at times, threatening to many women. Wolf-whistling is less common these days, an activity of a minority of men, but, more often than not, offensive.

As an old man out jogging, it is bad enough to have the occasional white van man hurl unprovoked abuse through his passing window. I can well imagine the feeling if it were thrown at a woman.

Sadly, the decline in vocal abuse on the streets has not been mirrored on the internet. Perhaps, it has been transplanted and multiplied.

Thankyou Cunco that was a thoughtful post.