Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Distinction of the sexes...the MRT way
Wow! My writer friends Jason de Villa and Paul Ancheta are on a roll about this. Now let me join the fray.
Let me start by saying I'm still in a tug-o-war of emotions on this matter. Does this mean preferential treatment? Or is it because they see women as the weaker sex? Or simply just protecting them from lascivious men? It really depends on how you look at it.
For me though, whether I am on the male or female designated car of the MRT does not really matter much. If you get a seat, good for you. If you don't suffer the consequences. Not a lot of people give their seat to an elderly, a pregnant woman or one with kid/s in tow anyway. Especially not during rush hour. Just recently I rode the MRT with Reb in tow. We had to stand because it was full. You'd think a man or a woman would offer us their seat even if they saw me struggling with our bags and Reb crying for milk? NOPE. People just looked away. At one point I had to crouch to let her sit on my lap...and still people looked away. Finally a young woman. I was suppose to say thank you because I thought she was giving her seat to me but was unable to. She stood up because was getting off the next station. Well...I guess no matter which car I rode (those for men or those from women), I would have had the same experience.
It was no different when I was pregnant. Not a lot of people do offer seats anymore in public transportations. I understand that they too are tired...but nudging me out of the way to get to the empty seat is taking it a bit too far.
Everytime I see an elderly, a pregnant woman or one with kids in tow, I can't help but give my seat because I know how difficult it is...though I have yet to experience the elderly part, okay? Hahaha. I'm not saying they are physically weaker, except for the elderly who are a little less stronger than us. All I'm saying is that carrying a child either inside you or having one with you gives you a very obvious handicap. I know so. I have that handicap. And it does not make me less of a woman to admit that because not considering the child in me or with me is a safety hazard.
I can't help but look at this in a pragmatic way. Bottomline: segregating the men from the women, elderly, blah blah doesn't really do much for me. Maybe some concerns are addressed but as a whole, my own horror stories remain simply because I have no choice but to brave our overflowing public transportation (and evrything that goes with it).
Really though, I don't sweat about it much. It's a fact of life. Is it because we are a bit desensitized to the people around us? Or are we just too tired to care? Whichever it is, I just pray day in and day out that I get home safely to my daughter.
