A loud whistle, boo, or rude shout made to taunt, harass, or mock someone, especially a performer or a woman.
From 'cat' + 'call,' referencing the sound a cat makes (yowl). First documented in 1660s London theater, where audiences would make cat-like sounds to express disapproval of performances.
Theater audiences literally invented catcalls as a form of audience participation gone wrong—they'd make cat noises to boo bad performances, and now the term covers any kind of street harassment or rude whistling, which shows how language evolves from specific contexts into broader meaning.
Catcalling as street harassment became systematically gendered in the 20th century, overwhelmingly targeting women and girls. The word itself is gender-neutral in origin, but modern usage predominantly describes unwanted vocalizations directed at women in public spaces.
When discussing this phenomenon, center the experience of those targeted (overwhelmingly women and gender minorities) and avoid treating harassment as neutral or complimentary. Specify 'street harassment' or 'catcalling directed at women' when appropriate.
["street harassment","unsolicited vocalizations","public harassment"]
Women's research on street harassment (e.g., Kearl's Stop Street Harassment project) has documented the pervasiveness and psychological harm of catcalling, challenging the false narrative that it is flattering or harmless.
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