#DudesGreetingDudes Is One Guy's Flawless Takedown Of Catcalling

If men are just making conversation when they talk to women on the street, then why don't they say the same things to other men?

Ever since a video of a woman getting catcalled all over New York City went viral, people on the internet have been debating between whether catcalling is really a destructive expression of misogyny or a flattering dialogue between strangers.

Some defended the men in the video, saying they were chastised for harmless greetings.

The dialogue inspired This Week in Blackness CEO Elon James White to question why, if this behavior is so harmless, or "complimentary," don't men do it with other men.

Im so confused as to why dudes are complaining about not being able to say hi to women. Go say hi to other dudes if you need to so bad.

Thus, the #DudesGreetingDudes hashtag was born, meant to shine a light on the hypocrisy of men saying that they're just "saying hi" when they talk to women on the street.

"I'm just saying. I'm a nice guy. I just want to say HI. And you're going to accept this greeting whether you fucking like it or not."

Dudes. If you feel society has lost it's decency, let's bring it back. Let's start the #DudesGreetingDudes movement! Say hi to each other!

These women don't get it. Y'all just want to say hi. What's wrong with hi?!?! So let's just leave them out completely. #DudesGreetingDudes

"After the now-infamous video came out last week there was a flood of critiques around the idea that dudes were just greeting women and I found them to be disingenuous at best," White told BuzzFeed News.

Though he found the video "problematic," White said he still felt like the concerns being expressed about catcalling were legitimate: "A woman was just killed for not accepting a man's advances, but we're going to pretend that our right to engage women unsolicited outweighs their right to feel safe? No."

You see a dude in a nice suit, just roll up on him like "Damn. You wearing that suit. Hmm Hmm!" #DudesGreetingDudes

You see a dude looking all hard & shit. Roll up on him like "Aye yo, smile, son. Damn." BRING SUNSHINE TO HIS DAY. #dudesgreetingdudes

The hashtag took off over the last few days, with people all over the world tweeting things that men should say if they spoke to other men the same way they talk to women.

"Ayy bro, sick tank! You're looking mad swole today. How much do you bench? What, 'go away'? Why you gotta be that way?" #DudesGreetingDudes

Hey bruh! You like football? Wanna watch football? You look like you played football! Where'd you play? What position? #DudesGreetingDudes

"Listen, my boys and I watched you when you came out of the train. Your kicks is bangin' son. Can i give you my number?" #DudesGreetingDudes

Many hashtags were spawned out of the catcalling conversation, including #NotJustHello and #ThatsWhatHeSaid, but none pokes fun at the irony quite as well as #DudesGreetingDudes.

The divide in the dialogue, White explained, was largely about "privilege."

"The right to approach women at any point in time no matter where they are is seen as a right by some men," he said. "And some of these dudes lack the most basic form of empathy to understand that our desire or intent doesn't negate what that woman might be going through. Walking to the grocery store or to go pick up your kid shouldn't be a gauntlet that you have to gear up for."

"You look so exotic, bro. Can I touch your hair?" #DudesGreetingDudes

"Damnnnn bruh you WEARING that Bluetooth" #DudesGreetingDudes

(sees dude reading a book) "Whatcha reading bro? You like books? I love smart dudes. Get that brain on, bud. Aw yeah." #dudesgreetingdudes

The tweets not only capture the ridiculous way that men will hit on strange women, but how they can quickly turn vindictive if the woman declines to reply — another way that men don't speak to other men when they're just "saying hi."

Damn dude, your guns are on point. Why wear that shirt if you didn't want the attention. #dudesgreetingdudes

"Dude, smile. You look more manly when you smile." #DudesGreetingDudes

*Grabs a dudes arm as he walks pass* "Hold up why you moving so fast?...You in a hurry? Slow down Bruh" #DudesGreetingDudes

White also experienced his share of hate from men who didn't agree with his satirical social justice.

"Dudes who were arguing for the right to greet women against their will were very annoyed with me. I've been called all sorts of names, yet nothing as bad as many of the black women that have been doing this work for years," he said, adding that he also got plenty of positive feedback.

"[T]he support for this has been amazing. Every day I'm getting more and more thank-yous from women for simply listening to their concerns and attempting to support them."

"You can't even take a compliment bro? Fine, you look fat anyway!" #DudesGreetingDudes

"Hey bro can I get your number? What? It's just to play golf! What the hell! Loser." #DudesGreetingDudes

"To me this is about basic decency," White added. "And the fact that men don't do this to other men is proof positive that this is a gendered attack, whether the men who do it consider it to be one or not. And we have to speak up to stop it."

Aww shit son, is that Irish Springs? I fucking love the way you smell right now bro. #DudesGreetingDudes

*whistles* SON! LOOK. AT. YOU. You need help loading them groceries up? #DudesGreetingDudes

@elonjames You see a dude listening to music, walk up to him, put one of his earbuds & ask "What we listening to bro?" #DudesGreetingDudes

Skip to footer