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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz

'I'm a mum and I love being catcalled - builders are my biggest confidence booster'

One mum is looking to flip the narrative of catcalling being derogatory, as she thinks people should "stop moaning" and see it as a compliment.

Millions of women around the world will have experienced strangers wolf whistling or yelling something to them, but when it happens to Sophie Filomena, 27, she doesn't think it's sexist.

The Scottish mum enjoys being catcalled, and says the suggestive gesture is fine, as long as it’s not too persistent.

Sophie told Fabulous : "I see girls moan about it but it's a compliment. Builders are my biggest confidence booster.

"I'm not really bothered about being chatted up. I'll humour it unless it's consistent and I'm trying to enjoy a night out because then it will get on my nerves."

Sophie sees catcalling as a 'confidence booster' (@cargirlsophie/Instagram)
Sophie Filomena is a content creator on OnlyFans (@cargirlsophie/Instagram)

She added: "Otherwise I'm all for a wolf whistle."

Sophie, who is a content creator on OnlyFans, is used to getting male attention.

However, catcalling is generally a divisive topic, as there have long been calls to make wolf whistling a criminal offence.

According to a survey by YouGov for the BBC, which was published in March 2022, two-thirds of women didn't feel safe walking alone at night.

The former Home Secretary Suella Braverman previously announced that catcalling will be criminalised in England following new plans.

She said: "Harassment is already illegal but it's hoped creating a new offence for street harassment will encourage more people to report it to police."

In December, a man became the first to be fined by a local authority for catcalling a woman in the street.

The offender was ordered to pay £100 fixed penalty notice within 28 days, or go to court and face a potential prison sentence.

Redbridge Council leader Jas Athwal said: "We are the first council in London using our Public Space Protection Order to enforce against catcalling and harassment."

Meanwhile, some still see catcalling as "a bit of fun", with Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden saying in 2021: "I still want to get wolf whistles in my 70s, and I don't care how sexist that is.

"I want a builder to give me a little 'oi, oi' when I walk past.

"I want to be tooted at by men or women when I’m walking the dog!"

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

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