I am a Sheep. Baaaaa

I say so because I am about to write about an issue that everyone is writing about. Kimberly Klinger. She is a writer for the Washington City paper.

The link to her online article is I've Got You're Hey Baby Right Here.

She writes and chronicles the ways she is catcalled in public. You know what that is... you walk by a guy or a group and they make kissing noises, or there is the infamous "Daaaaaaaam", or something equally as articulate is screamed out.

Women have long tried to figure out how these guys are expecting this to work in their favor. Monito died laughing the day I was on the phone with him, while pumping my own gas, some guy drove by and honked screaming something supposedly complimentary out the window.

How was that supposed to work for that guy? how? was I gonna put the gas pump back, jump in the car and chase him down? is that what was supposed to happen?

Her article suggests that for the guys who engage in this type of activity it is for the sake of power. For them to feel powerful. I can see that. Like a rapist is seeking to be in control, also about power. Especially since those that engage in it are the least powerful. Supposedly minorities and less educated with nothing better to do then hang out on a street corner all day trawling for women.

and women find it digusting. not flattering. not at all. we know that it is not because we are hot, it truely has nothing to do with us. the guy calling us out in public is trying to say anything to get laid.

But I wonder if her way of dealing with it is most effective. She screams back, flips people off, and generally make it worse. I have found my own way of dealing with it and gotten basically good results. I don't scream. I don't like to. It hurts my throat, I'm not usually a screamer at people. and I don't like to be embarrassed in public...

1. You try to ignore as much of it as you can (all women do)
2. If accosted you try to be patient and look confused
3. Say thank you for the compliment and you have a boyfriend
4. Say something like "that is not how you speak to a lady. that's disrespectful to your mother"

The last one works well here. Not so much in NYC. Lucky for me, in most major cities I have had my overly protective sis to do the screaming and flipping off, so I am not only trying to get away from some guy on a street, but also get my sister away from them. Because she will get into a fist fight anytime, anyplace for damn near any reason. There is definitely something to be said about southern hospitality.

I say all of this because DJ Sabrozo is opening his club tonight. and all of the girlies and I promised to show up to support him. It is a latin club... with all of the gold and silver teeth that is expected. Talking to JB yesterday she used to be very opposed to salsa dancing. I don't care, It's the concession my friends give me. I love you, you will show up and be happy about it. I do trashy clubs for Tourettes, and look-at-me nights for JB, even pulled out of a bookstore (wearing jeans, a tank top and flip flops.... literally my shoes went flip and flop when I walked) and dragged to dinner and 3 successive bars because Bianca was about to kill her sidekick. and then everyone else we know showed up.

Back to JB. She is unusually psyched. I am curious about this... she explains she is still in look-at-me phase. and she knows that latin clubs are full of all the guys who say dumb sh*t. any other day, she could have written Ms. Klinger's article. Will let you know how this turns out.