France Outlaws Catcalling.
CNN — Men who catcall, harass or follow women on the street in France could face on-the-spot fines under a new sexual-abuse law planned by the country’s minister for gender equality.
…But she says there has been plenty of opposition to her plans.
“We still find men who say … ‘It’s French culture, it’s love à la française.’ They don’t want the law to say it’s not allowed. There is cultural resistance.
…
RFI France — Sexual harassment on French streets or in public transport will be punished by a new on-the-spot fine of €90. However, the French governement spokesperson admitted it would be hard to catch offenders in the act.
Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux confirmed that the fines for street harassment would start at €90, in line with a parliamentary report recommending a penalty of between €90 and €750 euros, depending on how fast the offender pays up.
This news first popped up a few months ago, France considering fining people for catcalling. Popped back up this week when France made it official so here we have the story and also a few pictures of Emily Ratajkowski walking around outside because why not. It should go without saying that if you’re catcalling chicks on the street you’re an idiot. A moron. An offensive brute. If you look it up, catcalling — over the history of time — actually has a 0.00% success rate. No man has ever catcalled a woman and then had sex with that woman.
HOWEVAH, how about France thinking women can’t even go outside because men talk to them? Look at this:
CNN — “In France …. every woman has experienced that situation,” the minister told CNN. “Going to work, in the subway, on the bus, between in her home and the office, she’s been followed by men, she’s been asked her number, she’s been asked to talk.”
“It’s about freedom … Women (end up saying) ‘I’m not going (out) anymore, if it’s that hard,” the author and activist turned politician explained.
Wait, wait, wait… we’re trying to outlaw men asking women for their numbers? Or worse, asking them to talk? Uhhhh what? Come on, France. Catcalling never gets anybody laid but certainly conversation does. You’re gonna have a whole country of not-getting-laid people. No sex, no relationships, no marriages, no nothing. No conversing!
The other thing people aren’t considering: I give this two months until France is made up of 100% of women are depressed. Catcalling is annoying, sure, but it’s got to be a confidence booster. Men being so attracted to you that they yell weird, loud noises from across the street has to feel good to some degree. And on the flip side, must feel AWFUL when you get catcall snubbed. Imagine a young woman spends two hours getting ready in the morning, doing her hair, makeup, eyelashes, then walks out of her apartment feeling fresh and hears a group of construction workers catcalling a woman 50 yards in front of her before it’s finally her turn to walk by…
…and crickets? Has to be a shitty, shitty feeling. And France now wants to make that feeling universal?
Yes, catcalling is annoying and it’s dumb people that do it, but it is a part of society. Catcalling to society is sort of like flies to earth’s ecosystem — nobody likes flies but life on earth simply wouldn’t be what it is without them. Talking to people and asking women for their numbers is also part of society.
You can’t just outlaw opposite sexes talking to each other. Maybe in France you can but never here in America. And DEFINITELY not in Trump’s America.