Cat Calling Men — Sherri Nienass Littlefield

Calling Men is a series that has been on my mind for a few years.

As technology advanced, so did my comfort level of executing this project. Every woman I know has been cat called on the street at one point in her life. As a 32 year old woman today, I still experience inappropriate behavior from random men on the street who feel a need to call out to me, regardless of what I am wearing, doing or who I’m with. I’ve had unwelcome comments about my looks, body, race and husband shouted toward me. This would often become a comical affair, with my husband shouting back “Oh, thank you gentlemen!” or “Have some respect, that’s my wife, man!” I used to retaliate with “Does this ever work for you?” or “At what age did you decide you want to be the random guy calling out to women on the street?”

I’d like to acknowledge a few things about this project. I don’t know the background of these men and I understand the upbringing, current surroundings or lack of stability may influence their rowdy comments. I will not knowingly post images of a homeless or mentally ill person calling out because to me, there are larger issues at hand and it isn’t my place to further exploit that. I will never put myself in danger, and exercise caution in my decision making of whether or not I take a portrait.

FAQ

- Why don’t you take video?
When I take images, lights go off in a subtle way for two seconds. When I take video, lights rotate in a more noticeable fashion for ten seconds, and I would rather not draw more attention to myself.

- Why do you blur their faces?
I struggled with this, but I’m a firm believer in people changing their ways. This has influenced my choice to blur out the faces in this project.

The process is simple. I wear my video and photo capturing Spectacles manufactured by SnapChat, I get cat called, I take a photo, then upload the photo.