Catcalling: The Feminist Movement

Over the course of our American history, feminist movements have taken action to demand equal rights for both men and women. The fight for the right to vote was one of those most notable movements. The passing of the nineteenth Amendment in 1920 was undoubtedly a victory for feminists of that time. The right to vote gave women an overwhelming sensation of pride and power. While this moment in history was indeed an astonishing achievement for equal rights, the fight is far from over. However, many people do not believe this to be true; instead, they believe that the fight for equal rights has already been won. In fact, the idea of the feminist movement has gained a negative stigma in today’s society. Feminists are not seen in a positive …show more content…
Catcalling is one form of sexual harassment that is a large problem that women face in our society. In a recent study done by Cornell University, it was revealed that eighty-five percent of women in the United States have experienced catcalling by the time that they were seventeen, and seventy-seven percent of women admitted that they have revealed that being followed by a male made them feel unsafe and insecure in the past year (qtd. in Rittenhouse). The fact that these statistics are so high is atrocious. Catcalling has become so common in our society that over half of the female population has been subjected to it. This is why we need feminism. Women should not feel uncomfortable or have the constant fear of being harassed while walking down the street. In some parts of the United States, such as New York City, catcalling has become so widespread that there are signs placed around the city that read: “No Catcall Zone” (qtd. in Rittenhouse). This is a step in the right direction; it is feminism at work. The city of New York has taken steps to equalize gender and not allow for women to be subjected to harassment such as catcalling, and the rest of our society should follow because catcalling is something that no individual should have to …show more content…
There are some people who believe that women have at least equal, if not better, rights than what men do. This may be true in some instances such as family court where women are often times more privileged than men are. However, overall, there is an inequality in gender. Women are still, for the most part, seen as less privileged than their male counterparts; this is seen in the wage gap. Not only that, but women sometimes have to fight harder for the rights that both men and women share. Furthermore, some may argue that the term “feminism” itself advocates