Yes, women’s safety is one of the biggest issues this country is dealing with and believe us, there is nobody who wouldn’t support it, men included. Women need to be empowered, no denying that. But certain things are plain wrong and unfair, even if it is a woman doing them. It may be difficult being a woman especially while taking the public transport, but the harsh truth is, there are things women do too that make it a nightmare for everybody else. Here are few things we men want women who take public transport to know.
1. Despising all men just because women are unsafe in the country is just hateful. Not all of us are rapists. It is not nice to get those hostile glances every morning, being talked to in an unnecessarily rude manner every time. Don’t judge the whole lot on the basis of a few perverts. Don’t misbehave. We can do it too, and you would definitely not like it.
2. Please be civil. Do not break lines or queues as per your convenience. It is wrong for a man to do that, and it is equally wrong for a woman to do the same. Just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you get the privilege of breaking in and getting the ticket before the guy who has been waiting for his turn for the past ten minutes.
3. Don’t make issues out of nothing. If a man accidentally touches you, it doesn’t always mean he is trying to molest you. Public transports are crowded. There will be people standing on every inch of every space and whether you like it or not, there will be some sort of physical contact and there’s nothing we can do about it. We know it can be uncomfortable, but it is so even for us, not just you. Know that not most men don’t board trains and buses and metros to molest.
4. Please do not expect us to vacate our seats for you, unless it is reserved for women. There are a lot of women who demand even general seats. Just because a few guys do it out of respect or chivalry doesn’t mean those who don’t are being disrespectful to you. You could stand and travel too. Don’t make it look like a woman not getting to sit is a shame on society.
5. It is strange how the same woman who wants a personal space bubble of at least a metre even in a jam-packed bus or a metro and would never tolerate a man even accidentally touching her wouldn’t mind requesting (read ordering) people to ‘adjust’ her and fitting herself into that little space, making a dozen other people uncomfortable in the process. Just because we’re men doesn’t mean we don’t mind our personal space being intruded.
6. Stop playing the victim card and taking advantage of the fact that women safety is the prime concern of the nation. Even if you so much as argue with a woman about something that has nothing to do with ‘women exploitation’, more often than not, she would make it look like you’re harassing her. It is ridiculous how being a woman is all it takes to win any argument. Crowd is gathered, security is called and you’re threatened to be put behind bars. Why? Because you told her not to step on your feet.
We’re all for feminism and women empowerment, but let’s not uplift women by putting men down. What’s wrong is wrong
