What is your catcalling experience? 

Okay so, I don’t have any scary stories, but the thing that sticks out for me is when I first moved to New York in my early 20s, and the first walk to work, probably like 22, a lot of people would often comment, and I think this happens to a lot of women, comment on me not smiling, like “why are you frowning” “perk up”, “cheer up”, “let’s see a smile”, and first of all, it’s nobody’s business, second of all, you could be doing a million things, thinking about something, or practicing something you might have to do in a meeting. It’s just nobody’s business if you’re smiling. So that was the first thing that happened to me, that really bothered me. And, honestly, anybody would do that. And once I interviewed for a job on the tenth or eleventh avenue, kinda the grossest part of Manhattan you can ever go to alone, and I walked by a construction sight and I was like oh god, here we go, you know, you just know. There was a lot of things yelled, and I felt very unsafe, and quickly learned that if you’re on a street that’s quiet in Manhattan that’s not a good thing. You want to be a place where people can hear you yell if you need to. 

What are your first thoughts when you get catcalled?

That this person is a loser. Um, that I feel sorry for them. They should go f themselves. Not anger, just like, aww they have no life, and probably have some sad story that they have never had a friend, or had a wife or something.

How old were you the first time you got catcalled? 

I was about 22, because I didn’t grow up in the city. Because in Long Island, you’re in your car, you’re not walking on the street the same way you are in the city. 

Why do you think street harassment has become so normalized?

Extra:

Someone on the subway, when my mom was in college, flashed her on the subway, [oh, wow], and she rolled her eyes and said “put that little thing away.” [laughter] And it made me laugh so much that I  thought to myself if anyone ever does that, I’m gonna take that line. So really, if anyone ever said anything, I would just roll my eyes. Belittle them without talking back. If you know you’re in a safe area, surrounded by a lot of people, and you’re with a friend maybe, you would do it. But if you’re alone, it would not be a smart idea.