The Pitt News: Pitt students condemn catcalling

https://pittnews.com/article/127683/arts-and-entertainment/pitt-students-condemn-catcalling/

Pitt students condemn catcalling
Joanna Li | Staff Writer
February 14, 2018

As a 12-year-old, Sophia Marshall stepped out of the house feeling confident in the
outfit she had picked out that morning. As she waited for a friend by the local high
school, she heard a sharp whistle from out of the window of a passing car — her
first experience with catcalling.

Marshall, now a junior business administration major at Pitt, recalled feeling conflicted at the time — a mix of validation and violation.  It wasn’t until she came to college that the instances of catcalling became more frequent for Marshall — happening on the bus, her nightly walk home in Central Oakland and during her summer abroad in Paris — causing her to feel fed up.
“I’m not your baby, I’m not your honey,” Marshall said. “You don’t know me.”
According to a Cornell study, 85 percent of women experience street harassment before age 17 — and some women in Oakland are in that majority. Walking in groups of three or more, carrying pepper spray at all times and knowing a few self-defense techniques are all tips in the back of the minds of some women who have experienced street harassment at Pitt.

Marie Skoczylas, a visiting instructor in the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
Program, offers a definition of catcalling and its effects.
“Catcalling is singling out a target for sexual objectification and commenting publicly on
that person’s appearance,” Skoczylas said. “It requires a sense of entitlement to pull a
stranger into that kind of situation, knowing the advance may well be unwelcome and
insulting.”

Catcalling is part of the larger issue of street harassment. According to “Stop Street
Harassment” — a nonprofit organization focusing on ending gender-based street
harassment — street harassment can range from unwanted whistling to sexual assault. As Skoczylas explains, there’s a fine line between a pleasant interaction with compliments and harassing words that are disrespectful in nature.
“Rather than taking the route of trying to criminalize behavior, I think we need to focus on a cultural shift, changing attitudes so that we see each other as individuals to be respected rather than objects to harass,” Skoczylas said.
Sophomore finance major Casey Maher experienced catcalling in Oakland one night in
August. She walked to upper campus to meet with friends to watch a movie, but a friend
made a last-minute cancellation. Maher found herself alone in an unfamiliar place.
“Some guys pulled up next to me in a car and started yelling things out the window, like,
‘hey girl, get in the car, let us give you a ride,’” Maher said. “It made me feel really
uncomfortable and I had my hand on my phone to call the police.”

Carolyn Helenski, a sophomore communication science and disorders major, has
experienced catcalling in multiple cities. She recalls an instance with her mom in
Philadelphia that was particularly memorable, saying it was very degrading.
“One time I was in Philly with my mom for the afternoon, and a young guy was with his
friends on the street,” Helenski said. “When my mom and I walked by he said, ‘look at that nice, tight pussy in those pants.’’’
In this uncomfortable position, Helenski had an urge to stand up to the man, but her mom told her to act as if nothing had happened and just continue walking.
“Catcalling isn’t pretty when someone is trying to embarrass or harass you,” Helenski said.
“I went to say something, but [my mom] told me to just keep walking — which frustrated
me because a woman I look up to more than anyone didn’t feel comfortable standing up for herself or me.”

Other women in Oakland have experienced harassment from older men, not just fellow
college students.  Close Morgan, a junior who asked her last name be omitted for privacy, was walking back from her class in the Chevron Science Center when she stumbled into one such case as she passed a few construction workers on the sidewalk.
“As I got closer to them, I noticed that the one guy was staring at me,” she said. “Right as I
walked by, the guy who had been looking at me a little too long turned his head and said
‘hey beautiful,’ and watched me as I kept walking down the street.”
Morgan said she didn’t think much of the situation — she just smiled and continued
walking down O’Hara Street to Fifth Avenue, enjoying the compliment she was given.
“What was initially nice became super creepy when I was stopped at the crosswalk by
Thackeray,” Morgan said. “The same man popped his head out of the passenger side of a
white pickup truck and said, for the second time, ‘hey beautiful’ as his buddy kept driving.”
To avoid another encounter with the man, Morgan ended up taking the longest route
possible to get to her destination — an inconvenience for her to feel safe.
While Marshall continues to take her chances striking up conversations with strangers, she said she draws the line between friendliness and street harassment at a stranger’s ability to read context clues on a situation.
“I’m not trying to say that no one should talk to anybody else,” Marshall said. “I am saying that you need to respect my privacy, and that includes no shouting, no name calling.”
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BLM Hypocrisy: Most Black “Christians” Violate Civil Rights of Sunni Muslim Black Americans-Protests Against Immigration Ban a Farce: PART II

Let’s discuss some of the “support” [*sarcasm intended] I as a Sunni Muslim Black American has received from Black “Christians” in Maryland and the District of Columbia over the years (in addition to the near daily street harassment):

1)      I already posted about a black guy shallow scratching the driver front door of my car for absolutely no reason except for minding my business and not responding to his attempt to solicit unwanted conversation.

2)      Oh, one early morning a dark-skinned Black “Christian”—well actually a Jehovah Witness who lived in my apartment building at the time deep scratched the passenger rear door of my car.  She was known for being crazy and none of the residents, regardless of religion liked her. Apparently she was so annoying that even her husband left her and never returned.  However, I was the only one who received the extra deluxe treatment of her vandalizing my car. At the time, I worked long hours and woke very early in the mornings. I saw her leaving the exact spot where the scratch was which was not there the night before and because I work late I left my car in a paid, supervised garage and no scratch was there until she was near my car. Unfortunately, the apartment building had no security cameras and I did not catch her in the middle of scratching my car though I reported it to my insurance company—guess who has to pay for this dark-skinned woman’s bigotry and hate crime:  me.

3)      One day I was walking, as usual in full hijab with a long tunic shirt (it was actually a shirtdress that goes to the knees) with a pair of wool trousers. Two dark-skinned black males intentionally trying to make me uncomfortably by yelling DAYUUUUUMMMM: and stared at my backside while I was waiting for the light to change so I could return to work.

4)      In Howard County, Maryland, a dark-skinned black “Christian” male stabbed my tire with some sort of bracket in the middle of the night. My car was parked in a row of several cars and mine was the only one vandalized. I went to Mr. Tire to describe how I found the metal bracket in the side wall and he agreed it was vandalism.

5)      I was waiting in line one day for a MATINEE movie at the AMC theatre at Columbia Mall, a dark-skinned black “Christian” female kept bumping into my purse which was the only thing that separated me from her. Each time I moved further away or adjusted my purse to clear more space she would intentionally try to touch me with her right hand—total stranger.

6)      One day I was at the East Columbia Public Library on 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, Maryland.  Before current renovations, there were a line of computers that had a “15 minute limit” sign on them. At these computers who must stand because they are not intended for long term use.  I was standing alone in a line of several computers and none of the others were occupied.  A dark-skinned Black “Christian” woman came in right to the computer to my immediate right. I had an inkling she was a trouble-maker and attempted to ignore the negative energy.  I was using my right hand on the mouse and out of no where this black “Christian” female takes her left hand and snatches my hand off the mouse I was using. Apparently she was a sociopathic lesbian. I immediately snatched my hand back and exited the computer and used another one. Yes, these black “Christians” male and female who are total strangers in Maryland and the District of Columbia are mentally ill trouble making molesting street harassers who never face the consequences of their actions or charges because of black “Christian” criminal privilege.  This is when moral, decent people sympathize with rhetoric against ‘Liberals” because these are the types of people that vote Democrat.

7)      At the same library on another occasion, a dark skinned black “Christian” female was using one of the standing computers. I was already seated at one of the regular computers on the main floor that are parallel to the short-term use ones.  The black female “Christian” simply looked at me and yelled “sh*#” and “f@*#” , she then chuckled. I gave her a stern look and she left the library.

8)      One day I had an appointment for a strain at the Kaiser Medical Center, located at 1221 Mercantile Lane, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774. After being directed to the proper office I decided to use the elevator at the last minute. I was going up and the elevator was taking a long time to close. A black “Christian” butch female comes out of no where and hops on the elevator even though I realized she was going in the opposite direction.  She looked at me and did one of those threatening “Good morning” (think of the tone when someone says “you better not say anything” I’ll kick you’re a@#”) in that tone and flinched at me. I thought it was the oddest thing and was going to leave the elevator but now the elevator was working normally. The door was closed and I responded because she was going to hit me.  This was a total stranger, as all of them are.

Two of the black female “Christian” employees kept laughing and gossiping about me until I asked the one sitting that I was going to call the insurance who made my appointment and let them know that things were switched without my permission or notification to them.

The entire appointment was a disaster because a shady physical therapist (black male) changed my appointment without notifying me and my insurance company in which I initially had a female therapist. He was a dirty old black “Christian” male who was rude and disrespectful. None of the employees would not say directly but hinted that he was the one that switched my appointment so HE could do the therapy. I filed a formal complaint through the customer service of their underhanded activity.

9)      One day I was at the IHOP located at 7371 Assateague Drive, Jessup, Maryland 20794. It was a bright sunny day and I was getting out of my car in the parking lot. I was adjusting my purse and lock the door behind me when a dark skinned Black “Christian” male started walking rapidly towards me from a Northeasterly direction. Suddenly, a Latino man emerged from his white car which was parked to the right of mine, with out of state tags (Florida) and stood looking at the black “Christian” male. The vagrant immediately turned around and walked off the IHOP property. This one surprised me as I usually do not see Latinos in Maryland defend a Black woman, let alone a covered Sunni Muslim. Then again, he had out of state tags so different kind of Latino, but I was grateful.

10)   One day I was sitting in my car waiting for it to warm up. I noticed a bulged eye, dark-skinned black male walking around the parking lot but initially dismissed it. The black male was suddenly near my car. He walked over and stood in front of the driver right front of my car and stared at me hunched through the main window. He was so close to and in front of my car that had I began to drive he would have been ran over. I kept looking down because I could not drive with him in my way and if I got out my car then he would have said something inappropriate or followed me. Another black male “Christian” stranger acting the social deviant in broad daylight (morning).

11)   One day I was at the Macy’s in Columbia Mall, looking at some shoes in that department.  A dark-skinned, overweight black “Christian” female kept giving me a ‘dirty’ look. I ignored it. She then kept walking towards me backwards near one of the shoe displays and was trying to ‘pretend’ that she didn’t see me though I could tell she was trying to bump into me so she could instigate a fight. I moved AWAY from her and she turned to me in a loud voice and said “Don’t!” I looked at her like she was crazy and two other women saw the entire incident. One of them stared the black female troublemaker down. I walked to another section of the shoe department.

On another occasion, different year, I was at the same Macy’s and was looking for a Clarisonic spinbrush (which would later be stolen by a white woman at the YMCA in Ellicott City, Maryland).  I hadn’t realized that they were made in a variety of colors, so I was looking at different boxes making sure they all cost the same.  A dark-skinned black female came from behind and tried to start an uneasy conversation, then started to get loud. I found her annoying and disruptive and had a feeling she was trying to rob me. I called over a Macy’s employee concerning the product to which she responded and would be the person to ring my purchase at the register. As I took the product intentionally the long route, I noticed the dark-skinned black female following me for no reason. She wasn’t speaking to me, I did not know her and she actually followed me to the register counter with no product in hand and was standing in line instead in back of me.  The employee looked just as uncomfortable as I did, the black female kept staring at my product and my purse. When I had to pay using the card swipe machine is on the customer’s side and is not taken behind the counter. I had to take my entire hand to conceal the numbers on my card and swiped. She was still standing there while I immediately replaced my card in my wallet and the cashier gave me my purchase and my receipt. I was initially going to return to my car but thought it best to go into the mall where several people are around, when I did so, she disappeared.

Based on decades of experience, an observant must conclude that the vast majority of today’s Black “Christians” are evil troublemakers with no qualms of performing devilish conduct in  the open–black “Christian” privilege reigns in Maryland.  God’s standards does not, no matter how many hostile ‘Jesus’ yells these black “Christians” invoke at total strangers who are minding their business.