I always commented to my mother about guys peeping into autos. Just look around you. If you're a woman and you're on the road, you may look all around you, but you wouldn't necessarily peep inside another vehicle. Men do that. All the time.
I am tired of men ogling and worse still leching. Earlier this week, I took a bus back home. It was not exactly empty, but I managed to find a seat after 5-10 minutes. There was this guy. The typical Delhi local. Kind of like Salman Khan in Tere Naam... but only the variety that identifies more with Leonardo than Salman. Anyway, the tight T-shirt that shows off non existent muscles, coloured hair that needs vigourous head shaking in order to allow for normal sight, skin tight jeans... and a handkerchief stuffed inside the pocket, half outside. This guy kept staring at my chest. It must be true that most men think with their 'you-know-whats'. And then he kept repositioning himself to peer more. The thing is, one way or another they're not getting any views. But they don't know that. I come from supposedly 'conservative' Chennai and hence know nothing about being fashionable (read fashionable as showing various parts of my anatomy to the ogling public). Then this guy tried the cheapest trick in the book. He crossed his legs and stood in such a way that if the driver were to brake all of a sudden, he'd fall directly on me. Too bad for him that the driver did no such thing.
When I travel in a cycle rickshaw in Gurgaon, random guys whistle at me. This morning there was this guy in the bus. He turned his face to look at me. Then when I did the same back, he started looking away and was totally uncomfortable. Guys lech even when I am in the car with S. It's almost like it's their birthright. Once, I was traveling with my mom and a guy kept leching at her and she said to me, "Even when I am almost 60, if these looks don't stop, they probably never will". I agree. I am not exactly Demi Moore. Far from that!!
Has any of you seen women do such things? I'd really like to hear from you if I'm biased. I've seen girls teasing a supposedly innocent guy in the movies, but in real life, not to date.
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Raaga,
I've heard things about men being too awkward to handle in Northern Parts of the country but this article really highlights it. I think you'd be far better in South India even though some staring still happens by people from the lower mental quotient.
From a guy's point of view, the men I've seen (including me) do steal fleeting glances at goodlooking women, including some normal glances when the girl is not looking, but I've only seen people peering into cars, autos( both men and women). Sad... Really Sad.
Oops typo...
....but I've only seen people peering into cars, autos( both men and women) out of curiosity than to really peer... :)
Oh well Chill, life anyday is better in the south than it is in the north. Our apartment was burgled a couple of weeks ago.
Damn...
Hey Raaga...reading your post took me back to Delhi instantly. I have lived in several parts of the country and about 11 years in Delhi in all. Men in Delhi will look and try that "Oops I fell on u" trick on buses, nudging in market places (been to SN market on a sat evening?)etc... But they generally do not go beyond that... Yes, Im sure u'd be mortified to read this...coz looking is akin to letching and its condemnable. But there are worse things I have seen happen, to my friends, in buses... There are worse things I have personally been through growing up in Kerala... Bottom pinching, guys squeezing boobs, flashing their private parts... I grew up facing all of this even as a school girl.... So Delhi wasn't much of a surprise for me...
I graduated from Delhi University and it has been my experience if anyone tries any hanky panky in public in Delhi, all you have to do is say "bhai sahab, aap seedhe nahin khade ho sakte" loud enough for others... be certain the guy will be kicked out of the bus instantly....
Im now in Pune and its heaven... Noone looks at you, noone bothers u, noone cares...
In Delhi u will be looked at even if u are in a sari, in Kerala u will be fingered regardless of what u wear...and in Pune, wear a spaghetti strap, short skirt and no one will give a damn. This place is sooooper cool.
I've also lived in Vizag and can tell u about Andhra... But I guess this much is enough...for now!!!!!
Check out blanknoiseproject.blogspot.com
It's an entire movement that is happening to change this rather ambiguous term "eve-teasing" which does not exist anywhere else in the world and the very usage trivialises the issue with the police using "Romeo Squads" to deal with a complaint. The project aims to bring this to the forefront and change it legallly to "street sexual harassment". You may find it interesting.
@Ritu: Really? My exp with yelling for help when I got mugged was so bad. In Delhi, the crowd isn't with you. Selfish folks.
@Anon:Thanks. I went through the blog. I have only one punishment in mind. Castration.
It reminds me of all those stupid things that happen inside a bus. Most of the school going girls face this even in chennai.
I stopped traveling in bus in fear of these activities.Otherwise make sure I get a seat to sit.
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