The act or practice of making catcalls; street harassment through whistling, shouting, or rude comments at people in public.
Present participle of catcall, formed with '-ing'; can function as a noun (gerund) to refer to the behavior or practice itself.
Catcalling has become a major topic in gender and street safety discussions, with awareness campaigns in cities worldwide, and the word itself has shifted from being about theater disruption to specifically naming a form of harassment—language and social change moving together.
Catcalling culture became codified as 'compliments' in mid-20th century urban folklore, despite being experienced by women as threatening. Feminists reframed it as harassment starting in the 1980s.
Use 'catcalling' with the recognition that it is street harassment with gendered power dynamics. Avoid language that treats it as innocuous or flattering.
["street harassment","public harassment"]
Women's activism and research have successfully reframed catcalling from 'boys being boys' to recognized gender-based harassment, shifting public understanding of safety in public space.
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