# Whistling at Women? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935 "2013-05-09T22:20:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/141 "2013-05-10T23:27:47Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > I recommend a slide whistle for efficient and effective broadcasting of your creeper status. [hijack] Since when did it suddenly become "creeper anyway? It was always “creep” in my day! _\_ And get off my lawn! A [Creeper](http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Creeper) is green and explodes! That’s my position and I’m sticking with it! [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/142 "2013-05-11T00:59:46Z")
Moderator Note Colander come on. This isn’t helpful, it’s inflammatory and it’s completely opposed to my previous Moderator note which said let’s work towards understanding. Not hyperbole. Dial it back. > [@colander](#): > > hey guys what is up with this “racism” thing that black people keep complaining about > > i mean i pretty much can’t remember the last time anyone called me a nigger so can’t we all just agree that they’re just imagining that shit > > (plus a lot of them really _are_ total niggers anyway, am i right or am i right) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/143 "2013-05-11T01:10:25Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I’ve never whistled at a woman, or even seen it done in real life. I’ve only heard it done in jest by people who know how stupid and crude it is. They are pretending to be horndogs while actually complimenting someone. The real version is not really a compliment, as the whistler is not concerned over how the target takes it. Sure, they hope she will like it, but they don’t care if she doesn’t. It’s more of a come on than a compliment. Plus it’s as much a communication to his friends that a hot woman is walking by than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/144 "2013-05-11T01:24:08Z")
in late and this thread has run its course and with that I have to add… I whistle often at the hens in our circle of friends, they look exceptionally dolled up they get a whistle and they know me well enough know a whistle is shorthand for “looking good” , never been an issue…with the roosters or the hens… in part I think it depends on who is doing the whistling and in what context. Some creepy guy on a street corner vs a very attractive well dressed rooster that you might find interesting whistles in the just the right way with the right facial expression…dunno… how guys behave in a group vs solo of course they act differently…so do chicks, group dynamic and all it implies… why men do not whistle at woman who are in the company of a rooster…does not know the lay of the land…who is who and what relationship is what. I seriously doubt a rooster beats the hell out of another rooster for whistling…come on…call her a bitch though…that might buy you some fist time. Any rooster that whistles at young girls…that is creepy and pervish, that rooster deserves a beat down. of the women who flip off wolf whistling strangers,do you do so with the middle finger supported by the index finger and ring finger bent at the knuckes or do you fold down the index finger and ringer finger letting the middle finger stand alone? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/145 "2013-05-11T01:32:27Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > [hijack] > > Since when did it suddenly become "creeper anyway? It was always “creep” in my day! _\_ And get off my lawn! > > A [Creeper](http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Creeper) is green and explodes! That’s my position and I’m sticking with it! > > [/hijack] With the advent of the internet, the creeps were able to organize and it was decided that “Creeper” was more conducive to a sense of solidarity and cohesion. “Creep” just sounded too lonely and marginalized, and it was making it hard to attract new members from the younger generation. ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/146 "2013-05-11T01:39:30Z")
> [@stoplight](#): > > in late and this thread has run its course and with that I have to add.. > > I whistle often at the hens in our circle of friends, they look exceptionally dolled up they get a whistle and they know me well enough know a whistle is shorthand for “looking good” , never been an issue..with the roosters or the hens… > > in part I think it depends on who is doing the whistling and in what context. Some creepy guy on a street corner vs a very attractive well dressed rooster that you might find interesting whistles in the just the right way with the right facial expression..dunno… > > how guys behave in a group vs solo of course they act differently..so do chicks, group dynamic and all it implies… > > why men do not whistle at woman who are in the company of a rooster…does not know the lay of the land…who is who and what relationship is what. I seriously doubt a rooster beats the hell out of another rooster for whistling..come on…call her a bitch though…that might buy you some fist time. > > Any rooster that whistles at young girls…that is creepy and pervish, that rooster deserves a beat down. The hell? > [@stoplight](#): > > of the women who flip off wolf whistling strangers,do you do so with the middle finger supported by the index finger and ring finger bent at the knuckes or do you fold down the index finger and ringer finger letting the middle finger stand alone? We bend the supporting fingers at the middle. We’re not amateurs. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/147 "2013-05-11T02:09:04Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > The hell? > > We bend the supporting fingers at the middle. We’re not amateurs. debatable but acceptable.. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/148 "2013-05-11T04:22:30Z")
“Roosters”? “Hens”? “Gals”? “Chicks”? Just what decade are you posting from, **stoplight**? And, **TriPolar** , I’ll have you know that my daughter, when I described this thread to her, made me show her the computer so she could read your post herself. She said she’d never heard of anyone actually thinking about and being influenced by an internet discussion (well, she said “flame war,” but I assured her we try hard not to have those here). Thank you for helping me show off the Dope to her! ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/149 "2013-05-11T05:26:54Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > “Roosters”? “Hens”? “Gals”? “Chicks”? Just what decade are you posting from, **stoplight**? did I forget dude? hmmmm ---
**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/150 "2013-05-11T05:37:54Z")
i think we should just do away with all this “people” nonsense and liken every social group to a bird of some kind. i hereby claim owls for jews (because we are brown and puffy-looking and wear glasses a lot of the time) (also we eat mice and excrete their fur and bones in compressed masses called “pellets”) ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/151 "2013-05-11T06:04:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I will start from the beginning now and say that if a man whistles at you and then walks away it may just be a compliment. But if this kind of followup behavior is common then it is a serious issue. I have literally NEVER had someone whistle at me, then walk away. Never. Not once. After hundreds of whistles, I can tell you that they have fallen into 2 clear categories: 1. Approx. 1% of them were welcome. Those welcome whistles were from friends or loved ones who knew me well and were signalling that the extra effort I’d gone to to dress up was successful. Those whistles were compliments. I’ve had those whistles from mutual friends when my husband was standing right beside me and when he wasn’t - confirming they were solely acknowledgments of how nice it was to see me dressed up. 2. The other 99% of whistles were all unwelcome. They were ALL from strangers. They were ALWAYS when I was alone, or with one or two (female) friends. They were NEVER when another male was with me. They were always either annoying, threatening or just gauche and rude. My usual response is to ignore, and that has NEVER resulted in the person walking away - it results in insults being flung my way as how dare I not respond to the whistler! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/152 "2013-05-11T06:05:56Z")
> [@colander](#): > > i think we should just do away with all this “people” nonsense and liken every social group to a bird of some kind. “I was just whistling at those [boobies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booby) and [tits](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_%28bird%29)!” ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/153 "2013-05-11T08:16:34Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Women aren’t required to notice a man just because he whistles at us like you would a dog. We’re not out walking around to give him a “gift” of noticing him. You also aren’t required to say ‘Please’ or ‘Thank You’. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners? > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > If it isn’t about me and it’s about him and how he feels about himself maybe he should learn to use his words and speak like a normal person and talk to people as people instead of grunting out signs and whistles like a parakeet. OK, you say “Please” and “Thank You” because that it IS about you, and you don’t give a shit about how other people feel. > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Better yet, perhaps he should see a therapist who might make him feel better about himself so he doesn’t need his existence verified by a stranger on the street. You don’t need your existance verified by my, but you started with: > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > I’m sorry, but this entire response makes me feel like I need a shower. Maybe you should see a therapist who might make you feel better about yourself so you don’t need to ‘shower’ to clean yourself after social contact with other people? > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > The fact that you’re saying the woman not accepting gracefully is the one who needs to learn the valuable social skill while making excuses for the person who can’t communicate properly like an adult is even more disturbing. I read what I wrote again, and I’m pretty sure I never said anybody NEEDED to do anything. I also didn’t enter into the question of ‘excuses’, or the social skills of whistlers at all – since that would have been off-topic. > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > No I can’t control the idiot who whistles by acting or dressing different but acknowledging him is only reinforcing the idea that his boorish behavior works. I don’t care if he needs validation, maybe if people ignored him he’d have to learn to earn validation and not expect it to be given to him by strange women on the street. I think you’ll probably never find that ignoring people, or calling them idiots, or any of the other insults you’ve spewed out here, is not an effective way of modifying the world. And you will probably never realize that it doesn’t make you a happier person. The evidence here is that you are, at best, tribal, and at worst, not interested in other people at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/154 "2013-05-11T10:05:33Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > You also aren’t required to say ‘Please’ or ‘Thank You’. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners? This first sentence in your piece by piece lecture tells me all I need to know about how you think. You’re actually floating the idea that the person who ignores rude behavior has the problem with manners not the stranger who wants attention to feel good about himself who can’t even use his words to do it like a grown up big boy? And to top off the funny (and believe me, what you wrote was full of funny) is that you’re also pretending it’s about social interaction. Someone who wants to initiate social interaction doesn’t whistle at strangers on the street. What’s our next lesson? Will it be How to get your Waiter’s Attention by Snapping Your Fingers at Him or will it be Clapping Your Hands in the Face of a Stranger on Public Transportation and Telling Them to Smile? You’ll find both of these lessons and many more in the series How to Irritate People and Still Blame Your Social Cluelessness on Them. Coming to [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) soon, I’m sure. > [@Melbourne](#): > > The evidence here is that you are, at best, tribal, and at worst, not interested in other people at all. I can imagine where you pulled this theory from based on your “evidence here” but let me help you out. I’m not at all interested in anyone who thinks the the way to be noticed is to whistle at women on the street. So I guess my tribe (since I’m tribal and all) is people who aren’t hopelessly clueless at social interaction. Hmmm, maybe you’re on to something with that stuff earlier though. You said being noticed is “a big enough gift that any kind of price is worth it” so maybe I’ll take your advice after all. I’ll let him know I noticed him by saluting him with my middle finger. After all, he’s not using his words to communicate so I’ll just respond in kind in a way even he can understand. Problem solved! I’m starting to understand why people continue to pay a membership fee to contribute to keeping the board going. Good unintentional comedy is hard to find. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/155 "2013-05-11T10:30:37Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I think you’ll probably never find that ignoring people, or calling them idiots, or any of the other insults you’ve spewed out here, is not an effective way of modifying the world. And you will probably never realize that it doesn’t make you a happier person. Au contraire. The only way to happiness is realising that you cannot control the actions other people, but you can, at least, ignore them. And call them idiots. And flip them off. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/156 "2013-05-11T12:54:31Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > Au contraire. The only way to happiness is realising that you cannot control the actions other people, but you can, at least, ignore them. And call them idiots. And flip them off. Except that having to do those things means you didn’t ignore them. And that you aren’t happy. Not that ignoring things tends to make you happy, either. Because the things you ignore have a way to come back and bite you. I’d say a good half of the world’s problems are from people ignoring problems they could have dealt with. ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/157 "2013-05-11T13:07:23Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Not that ignoring things tends to make you happy, either. Because the things you ignore have a way to come back and bite you. I’d say a good half of the world’s problems are from people ignoring problems they could have dealt with. Yeah we’re not about to stop and translate the bird for men crass and bold enough to broadcast unsolicited opinions of our appearance. I doubt there is a single whistling lout in the free world who would be confused by the meaning of the middle finger. Sounds like you’re attempting to rally a revolution here, but this happens most often when we’re traveling unescorted and vulnerable. I’m open to an honor guard to speak out on my behalf if you’d like to volunteer. Just follow behind a few paces, and if a whistle or catcall occurs, rush over and address the ill mannered boor. I’d be mighty obliged, hero. ---
**Author:** ![stoplight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@stoplight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stoplight)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/158 "2013-05-11T13:33:34Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > You also aren’t required to say ‘Please’ or ‘Thank You’. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners? > Maybe you should see a therapist who might make you feel better about yourself so you don’t need to ‘shower’ to clean yourself after social contact with other people?. wow, I am guessing you have spent enough time walking on your knuckles that they are sufficiently calloused as to not cause you pain? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/159 "2013-05-11T15:56:43Z")
I can say that in my experiences in various parts of the world, there is a near perfect correlation between the number of whistles and catcalls I get on the street in a given area, and the likelihood of being subjected to groping, explicit comments, being followed, and other sexually threatening behavior. While there are areas that don’t respect women that also don’t whistle/hiss, no area that respects women whistles, and every area that whistles does disrespect women in other ways. I agree that the vulnerable are often targeted. Frankly, I got the most unwanted attention between the ages of around 10-14 (which, BTW, is gross and disturbing.) Nowdays, it’s more likely when I am carrying heavy bags, obviously a foreigner, or otherwise in a vulnerable position. It’s unnerving. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935/160 "2013-05-11T16:19:03Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I can say that in my experiences in various parts of the world, there is a near perfect correlation between the number of whistles and catcalls I get on the street in a given area, and the likelihood of being subjected to groping, explicit comments, being followed, and other sexually threatening behavior. While there are areas that don’t respect women that also don’t whistle/hiss, no area that respects women whistles, and every area that whistles does disrespect women in other ways. I second this. Very good point. For anyone interested, the documentary [Femme de la Rue](http://www.mrctv.org/videos/sexual-harassment-women-brussels-whole-video) shows the experiences of women in Brussels. A lot of it will be recognised by women across the world. The link starts with an interview with the filmmaker and the documentary starts at 7.50 min. It’s all subtitled. ETA: as part of the docu she walks around with a hidden cam and mic. This could give skeptics an idea of what it is like. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whistling-at-women/657935.md?page=9)