A. Kottler et S. Swartz, TALKING ABOUT WOLF-WHISTLES - NEGOTIATING GENDER POSITIONS IN CONVERSATION, South African Journal of Psychology, 25(3), 1995, pp. 184-190
In this article we analyse a conversation between a man and a woman di
scussing the effect of wolf-whistles on women. In an attempt to reach
consensus both participants appear to change their views. By blending
elements of discourse and conversation analysis, the article examines
the conversational outcome and the effects of gender and power on the
discourse positions taken up by the participants. Wolf-whistling is a
gendered activity and the implications of this become clear in the con
tradictory positions drawn on by each as they try to reach consensus.
This makes it difficult for them to 'share' the conversation and the o
utcome, although collaborative, misrepresents the complexity of the ne
gotiations which preceded it.