Gender differences

Eve teasing, inappropriately brushing past, “Accidentally” bumping, staring and lewd behavior are things that girls face quite often. The fact is that we vocally express our feelings about these incidents and vent at the fact that men are scum and blame the gender as a whole and curse their very existence. Eventually we find ourselves questioning our part in these incidents. Like, “Did I do something?”, “Why not anyone else from all the other girls there?” The fact is we find ourselves wishing it hadn’t happened to us. We start feeling the guilt of having probably led to the whole incident. Fact remains that perverts are perverts. You could be clad in a sari/burqa/ chudidhar and yet faced any of the above and you will still be left wondering if you were not dressed properly. This whole episode pretty much leaves one feeling extremely vulnerable and wishing to dear god that they were a boy.

I have always wondered if the woman were the one behaving inappropriately and a man was to be facing the abuse, would he feel equally confused? Would it be easier for a guy to brush such an incident off? Would the guy turn around and yell back at the woman? Hit her perhaps? Because when women turn around to verbally abuse the guy who misbehaved with them, it is considered as instigating the man to abuse her more. So hitting back at the man is totally out of question. [The same situation in a crowded place is different, because people have changed considerably. They love beating up the bad guy. So a scream and slap works wonders.]

For a really long time I imagined that men did feel the same way as women only difference being that they never admitted it. Where as we women always do. I haven’t had any of my male friends ever talking about Adam teasing or any other form of crude behavior by women. One of my friends told me about a horrible episode that involved eunuchs and how he has had a fear for them since then. But eunuchs don’t chose their target based on gender.

Recently a friend of mine told me about sexual advances made towards him by another man. That was enough to make my friend bolt. But I have never been told about men being abused by women. [I am not talking about domestic violence here.]

So I am left wondering can women ever make a man feel vulnerable in a totally “help me, I don’t want this woman touching me.” way? Can a woman scare a man enough to make him be more alert on the streets just so as to avoid any more of such incidents?

Just wondering.