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From: linda@amdcad.UUCP (Linda Seltzer)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Is feminism sexism by females?
Message-ID: <4252@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Sep-85 15:26:12 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdcad.4252
Posted: Sat Sep 21 15:26:12 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 06:29:09 EDT
References: <415@mhuxr.UUCP> <501@tymix.UUCP> <478@tektools.UUCP> <429@mhuxr.UUCP> <1168@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Organization: AMDCAD, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 29
Summary: Why women don't want to be whistled at

> *do* like the boost to my ego.  It's OK with me if you're attracted to my body,
> if it turns out that that is all you're attracted to things aren't going
> to work out anyway.
> 
> If this happened all the time I'm sure I would tire of it - but once or twice
> a year is not causing me any pain.
> 
> Perhaps a *very* big difference is that when a woman whistles at me (it really
> did happen just the other day, but bike shorts do show off my best features |-).
> I feel that it is because she likes the way *my* body looks, she is not
> reacting to just any apparently available male.  From what I hear women tend 
> to feel that many of the advances they get (and they get advances, not just 
> catcalls) are aimed at them because they are a woman, not because they are 
> particularly attractive (even though they may well be).	
> 
Women wouldn't mind whistling if it stopped there.  Unfortunately,
if a woman gave any positive feedback to a whistler, the next
question would be "Wanna go to my place honey...?".  Even if
you smile at a strange man on a bus or in a store, disastrous
consequences may occur.  Having grown up in an urban area
(Phildelphia)  I always respond to whistlers by pretending to
ignore them or by making a disapproving facial expression.
I expect and want to be left alone and not paid attention to 
by strangers and will consider anything other than a request for
road directions as a possible act leading to violent crime.
If any man tried to pay undue attention to be on the street,
I would not hesitate to call the police.  

					Linda