14 February 2004

I'll tell you about male vs female semantics! (warning - vast generalisations coloured by a healthy dose of prejudice coming up)

Indian men are raised as little gods with no contact with women. As a result they have no idea how to (1) treat a woman as an equal; (2) interact with women in a social setting.

I'm getting round india in baggy pants and a neck-to-mid-thigh baggy shirt with long sleeves and I still get treated like I'm walking round topless in hotpants - whistles, stupid kiss-kiss noises, arse-pinching, boob-bumping and the staring, oh my god the staring. Staring from a train seat less than a metre away for three hours straight - eventually I pulled out a sarong and put it over my head. Sure I couldn't see a thing but at least I had some privacy.

And the other annoying thing? If I'm with my "husband" I might as well not exist. I could shout at the top of my voice and they'd ignore me. I pay for dinner and they give him the change. I start a conversation and they talk to him.

By golly I'll be glad to be back where at least someone pays lipservice to equailty!

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