When I spent my junior year of college in Italy, I found myself not particularly bothered by the catcalling there. While there was a lot more of it, it always seemed kind of good natured. When I walked down the street, men shouted, “Bella! Ti amo!” (“Beautiful, I love you!”) And you know, I didn’t mind because I felt no implied threat behind it. It just felt like a kind of sweet spontaneous expression of appreciation.
When I got catcalled in the US, my home country, there was always something kind of dark and aggressive behind the catcalls. Someone telling me to smile suggested that they’d give me something to frown about if I didn’t comply. Also, “Nice tits,” isn’t quite as pleasant an interaction as being told you’re beautiful and loved. No one in America would ever shout “I love you!”
To keep reading America Hates Women a Lot More than I Realized, visit the Songs for the Struggling Artist blog.
This is Episode 429
Song: Cose Della Vita
Image by one of my friends (Probably Rachel?)
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