Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Commentary

I have yet to figure out why some males (I say males because I've never seen a female to do) think it is OK to make random comments/yells/give advice to total strangers. Some gems from various dates as of late:

From a car on Kelly Drive:
Run Faster Fatass

Guy on stoop on the walk home from Kelly Drive (different day):
You don't need to sweat so much, you look fine as it is in those pants!

On the walk home from Kelly Drive (different day):
Random Guy 1 at Gas Station: I need to run too. Will you take me on your trail?
Random Guy 2 (noting 1 was ignored): Hey, I don't think she knows what you mean by trail.
Random Guy 1: I want to go on the trail, come on, take me on your sweet ass trail!

Balding guy in convertible as I walked to work:
Nice ass!
(side note, I thought, somehow, he said nice bag and was being sarcastic about my lovely canvas shoulder sack filled with shoes, a sweater, lunch etc., until he turned the corner and waved to me and I realized the sad truth.)

And my favorite...
Random Middle Aged Jogger passing me on the Off part of a HIIT series:
You know, you could run for longer if you slowed down.

10 comments:

  1. i get it every day, too. "pedal faster, fatass!" "get off the road!" "Want to take Meeeeeee for a ride?" i also have overheard it, like when a well dressed lady walked past a construction worker, he stopped working, spit out some chaw and said "mmm, mmm, love them boots, sweetheart."

    it's all because men don't view women as people. we are but objects for them to observe and perhaps have sex with.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I must exude an air of invisibility.

    Katy's right though. It's all about the male gaze.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Girls don't say it but they think it. When I'm working out I constantly mentally critic people from their form lifting weights to wearing jeans in the gym, people that grunt extra loud when they lift, those that put on cologne to go to the gym.... you name it I critic it.. I don't say it outloud but if I'm with a friend I do point. Although when I was in college and I'd go to the gym after a few beers (sad but true) I would say stuff about lifting form... to guys that lifted 30 lbs doing lat pull downs.. they told me I didn't know what I was talking about and then I'd lift a rep in perfect from at 110 lbs and they would hold their head in shame.

    I don't think it's the objects versus people thing that Katy says.. I think its the edit what you say that guys don't have...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think there's a big difference between thinking and perhaps sharing things like "she has poor form" or "he has nice arms" to yelling" and telling someone/yelling out a window "Why are you running with your hair down and makeup on, Barbie?" (a sample line that runs through my head).

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have to say, I'm with Valtastic on this one. I hate to admit it, but I think some pretty awful things about other people at the gym, I just don't say them.

    However, I think as rugby players, we have to deal with more of this kind of stuff because our goals are atypical (ie: we are looking to build strength, speed or speed endurance and not necessarily to lose weight or improve basic cardiovascular health) and therefore the middle-aged jogger thinks he can help you. I can't tell you how many times people have asked my why I am "jerking" the weights when I am doing olympic lifts. I've also had many people mistake a ladder progression on the gravitron machine for my inability to understand that an assistance machine works differently from a standard weight machine. So annoying!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This blog was hysterical! I get constant remarks as well...even from other people who are working out. From a bicyclist as I hit my sprint interval "yeah...push it." WTF? Kid in a car..."put it away"...still trying to figure out what that meant. I do think some of it is objectification...I think they just want your attention. I actually have one friend who takes it as a compliment...though it irritates the piss outta me. I view it as a general manifestation of male inferiority complex.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think its a manifestation of their inferiority complex....combined with desperate need for female attention. Ever notice the uglier the guy, the greater the number of female-deprecating remarks? I do have one friend who just takes all comments/cat calls as a compliment. I like it when they give you advice from the side of the pitch...total strangers!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sabato,

    Just realized that you are linked to me! I returned the favor...and CONGRATS...Traci told me the good news!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Aw, Emily, while I do not approve of people harassing you, I did find the thought of you wondering why this guy complimented your bag rather humorous.

    ReplyDelete
  10. These are absolutely classic! I am particularly fond of the sweating one. How your shorts relate to your sweating baffles me. But who am I?

    ReplyDelete