Men need to stop harassing women on the street

Note to men: Leave female passersby alone.

Don't holler at them. Don't smack your lips at them or try to restrain them as they're walking past you on the sidewalk. Don't announce to strange women what you think of her appearance. Don't holler out, "Can I go?" And never slow down your car to try and get a woman on the sidewalk to talk to you.

Chances are, that same woman has been approached dozens of times that day already and you are just the latest one. So, please do her a favor and leave her alone.

I know that that's asking a lot for those of you who lack impulse control,. But if you absolutely must say something, smile and say "hello." Not "you look nice today," because chances are she doesn't give a fig what you think of how she looks.

I've been all worked up on this topic since seeing that Hollaback video of a woman walking around the streets of New York City. For the first time, the world had video proof of the kind of catcalls and street harassment that many women are subjected to every single time they step onto a sidewalk. One guy called out, "You don't wanna talk? Because I'm ugly? We can't be friends, nothing? You don't speak?"

And this from another, "Somebody's acknowledging you for being beautiful. You should say thank you more."

The encounter that sent chills down my spine was the one of the guy who walked beside the woman silently. It was so silently threatening.

I'm glad Hollaback made the video because for the first time for many men, they can see what their wives, daughters and sisters are subjected to on a daily basis.

As I pointed out to my colleague Stu Bykofsky, who also has blogged about this, it's hard to believe how prevalant and insidious this is - unless you've experienced it yourself.

But now, people can see that it doesn't make a difference what a woman wears. The woman in the video had on black jeans and a black T-shirt. All she did was go outside and that's when the verbal harassment started.

Will it make a difference?

No really.

But maybe if one lunkhead who thinks it's cute to holler out "smile" to a female passerby checks himself, then the video was worth it.