Women Sick of Catcalling Fight Back With Selfies and #Dearcatcallers

You may have heard about the woman who started taking selfies with her cat-callers to show us how often she has to deal with it and how unashamed harassers can be. Well, more women from around the world are starting to pick up the hashtag #Dearcatcallers.

#Dearcatcallers was started by 20-year-old Noa Jansma. She lives in Amsterdam and has to deal with some sh**, so in August she started an Instagram account for selfies with said heaps of sh** in the background. While #Metoo and #Yesallwomen certainly fit in the same category of “yes, misogyny is a thing and we would really appreciate some (legislative?) support on this”, Jansma’s selfies stand out because it is casual harassment happening in the moment, hovering behind Jansma with a creepy grin.

In a post on her account, Jansma explained why she chose to use selfies to fight catcalling: “By making the selfie, both the objectifier and the object are assembled in one composition. Myself, as the object, standing in front of the catcallers represents the reversed power ration which is caused by this project.”

The good news is that nearby Rotterdam recently made catcalling a punishable offense, and the Netherland’s Labour Party has also proposed a bill that would apply similar rules to the whole country.

Here are the women who have joined Jansma in holding up the mirror to the most pernicious side effect of living in a patriarchy.

Prepare yourself for some straight fire from the selfie takers.

1.

Dying alone is the better option when you look over and see two men licking their lips and making kissing motions as they drive along side you. Thank you @dearcatcallers for giving me the idea to start photographing these experiences. #iamnotapieceofmeat #whendyingaloneisthebetteroption #dearcatcallers

A post shared by Gabrielle Curry (@gabrielle_curry) on Oct 14, 2017 at 11:48am PDT

2.

#dearcatcallers “hmm nice toes” (after following me for 27 min)

A post shared by Isabela (@hai.haihui) on Oct 9, 2017 at 2:40am PDT

3.

No thanks. #dearcatcallers #wellingtonnightlife

A post shared by Brittany Baker (@bbubbs) on Oct 10, 2017 at 1:01am PDT

4.

I was walking Teddy, my dog. Guy tries to get my attention. I clearly have my headphones in so I try to ignore him. But I hear him getting closer as he is calling for me. So I turn around before he could touch me to turn me around. Him: How much? Me: what? Him: How much? Me: how much for what? Him: do you speak Spanish? Me: no. Him: *speaks in Spanish* Me: I just told you I don’t speak Spanish. Him: how much? Me: for what? My dog? Him: no. How much? Me: *actually realize what he is asking* …for me? Him: yeah! #dearcatcallers Does this even count as cat calling anymore? I am so furious and disgusted. I immediately turned around and walked away. But not before I got that selfie. Because last Friday I posted this article. And said I would be participating in it as well. So here it is. Read that article too! I am walking my DOG! Not sexy or slutty looking clothes at all. No heels. No makeup. Glasses. Hair in a bun. Tennis shoes. And I look like a prostitute to you?! #disgusted #sicktomystomach #thisactuallyhappens #disrespect #offended #2017

A post shared by Brenda Victoria (@brendavictoria13) on Oct 10, 2017 at 7:47pm PDT

5.

Heyy girl! Get in (my car)! Come back to Cherry Hill w/ me!! You know you wanna!! #DearCatCallers #ItHasNOTHINGtoDoWithWhatYoureWearing

A post shared by taller than the average man (@annnnnnnaaaaaaaanana) on Oct 5, 2017 at 8:58pm PDT

And just a few from Noa Jansma’s @Dearcatcallers account:

6.

A post shared by dearcatcallers (@dearcatcallers) on Sep 14, 2017 at 9:28am PDT

7.

A post shared by dearcatcallers (@dearcatcallers) on Sep 20, 2017 at 12:11pm PDT

8.

#dearcatcallers “baby! Baby! *whisting*”

A post shared by dearcatcallers (@dearcatcallers) on Sep 16, 2017 at 10:43am PDT

Keep killing it, Noa and crew.