Cat-calling

First of all, no matter what you might think, cat-calling is not a compliment.
I used to think that cat-calling was a compliment too, I'll admit, and that's just sad. The very first time I got cat-called, which, I'll admit, was not very long ago, I was flattered. I have never been in a relationship, and I have fairly low self esteem. Pretty much, I'm pretty desperate for a boyfriend. The first time I got cat-called, I was under the impression that no boy or man could ever be attracted to me in any way. So, it was a huge surprise that someone could actually think I was attractive, so, I was flattered. I was walking down the street with my dad, me wearing a tank top and shorts, when this car drives by, and I hear a wolf whistle come out of the window.
The car kept on driving past, and I never even saw who it was.
My dad was proud. He was proud that that was the first time a boy had whistled at me. And that makes me sick. My dad is a good person, and he's overall a liberal democrat, but in some ways he's still a little bit conservative.
Later that day I straight up asked him ¨How was I supposed to take that? Was I supposed to be flattered or offended?¨ He responded with ¨A little bit of both¨. I disagree with him entirely.
I have been cat-called multiple times since then, and each time, I still felt flattered. I don't know if I'll ever not feel flattered, but it's something that I want to change. I don't want to be flattered. I don't want to live in a world where 20-something men yelling slurred words out of a car window to 14 year old girls is considered a compliment.
It's harassment. It is in no way acceptable, and I want to work towards a world where people understand that. I want to work towards a world where young girls, like me, are not happy to be harassed.
What's worse is that since winter has come and I've stopped wearing shorts, I have not been cat-called once. This shows how they were simply treating me this way because my legs were exposed, because I was wearing temperature appropriate clothing. This shows that I was being treated as a sexual object. Not even me - just my legs. My legs, as soon as they are covered up, are no longer an object of interest. My legs are not something for your viewing pleasure. My legs are not a sex object.
I am not a sex object, and neither are you. Remember that.
Cat-calling is not a compliment.