While walking up 14th Street (something I don’t like to do because it’s notoriously bad for catcalling) only a block from my office, there were a group of 3 young men who passed me going the opposite direction. Right as he was passing me, one of them turns and says “Yeehaw… Yeehaw”. I heard him say it from behind me too, like he was checking me out from all angles. Ick.

Then only a few steps later an older man turned and said “like them boots, like them boots”.

I get a lot of comments like this when I wear these boots, and it’s almost enough to make me want to stop wearing them. I just don’t understand how a particularly un-sexy piece of an outfit can illicit responses like this, that in turn, make me feel like such a tramp.

I read this site often, and I’m upset that I didn’t speak up and say something to them when these men made me feel uncomfortable. Like, “Hey, that’s rude.” The problem I’ve always had is that I’m unsure what kind of catcalling warrants a response. But what I’m quickly discovering is that ANYTIME someone makes you feel uncomfortable with a comment, THAT is when you should say something.

Submitted by Anonymous on 6/16/2010

Location: 14th Street, NW b/t Q and R

Time of Harassment: Day Time (9:30A-3:30P)

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