I’m not a cat, so stop calling me.

Today, I was sitting in the middle school parking lot while waiting to pick my little brother up from school. Nothing eventful was happening until a group of middle school boys walked past my car and began shouting sexual things at me. That’s right, I was catcalled by 13 year old boys. I don’t even know where to begin with how wrong this is. Being catcalled is never not creepy, but there is something especially gross about it when young boys do it.

If these young boys don’t have a problem behaving this way with someone older than them, I can’t help but wonder how they treat the girls they go to school with. It is absolutely ridiculous that young girls and women are scared of what guys will do to them in public, but everyone should feel safe in school.
I don’t know where the discipline is. Perhaps there is none because objectifying women is still unfortunately common and “not a big deal.” Maybe there is no discipline because “boys will be boys” and “they’re just kids.” The problem with that logic is that those boys could very well grow into men that can’t hear the word “no.” I honestly pray that isn’t the case with these kids, but someone needs to do something to change the way they treat women.
Instead of just being angry about this, I wanted to use this situation as an opportunity to spread awareness. Please treat everyone with respect.
Be kind always.