Comments on: Getting used to the sexual me: Coming to terms with being female

By: Jack Point

Jack Point — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:49:43 +0000

Sexual harassment is so widespread that one must accept that it is a part of the local culture, albeit a most undesirable aspect.

I’m curious to to know if this is recent development? Did women exprience this in the 1960’s or 1970’s for example? Does anyone know?

A good subject for further research, I reckon.

By: tezcat

tezcat — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:15:56 +0000

I don’t have any intention of condoning or justifying eve teasing, but I just have to say that “eve teasing” is a phrase I despise, because it sounds so… light-hearted and innocent. Sexual harassment and/or molestation is just that, an ugly thing, an ethical and empathetic failure.

There needs to be more noise made publicly about sexual harassment in Colombo. Even something as limited as a blog would be a start -at the very least, it would collect a lot of stories together and that would be difficult to forget or dismiss. (I don’t know if such a thing already exists? I wonder if there’s anybody like Blank Noise here.) Maybe the spread of camera phones will help. Maybe a name-and-shame campaign. But that seems too much like attacking the symptom and not the disease. Argh. At least sexual harassment at work is getting some attention.

By: Suchetha

Suchetha — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:27:01 +0000

First off, I would like to apologise on behalf of the guys.

I am an avid girlwatcher myself, and have been one since I “discovered” the female species. And as any birdwatcher (of the literal as well as the euphemistic sense) will tell you, the best way to watch is not to be seen. to not scare them off by screaming and shouting.

Unfortunately, some idiots don’t seem to learn.

I would like to thank you (and all like you) on behalf of the Sri Lankan girlwatchers for being so nice, and watchable. For the tight jeans, the short skirts, and more than that, for looking so nice no matter what you wear.

For the smiles that you give (if not to us, at least to the people around you), and most of all walking with your head held high and looking the world in the eye, instead of the “prescribed” head down, eye downcast fashion.

We love you for it, we thank you for it, and we hope you are never scared off.

And remember, if you ever need help escaping from the whistling shouting jerking off immature types, there is usually a girlwatcher or two always willing to help.

By: SJ

SJ — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:02:31 +0000

I know,
I’ve been living in Aussie for almost 2 years now, and the best thing I really love about this place (over SL) is the respect these people have for women. Don’t get me wrong I love my mother country dearly, but in the context of walking out in the streets (or driving for that matter), going about daily life as a woman in Colombo is one of the most distressing aspects of life.

And as for the covering up thing, it’’s just a lame excuse….I see here girls walking on the streets, at dusk, alone, wearing teeny weeny peices of garment and nobody even turns to look at them.

It’s not the clothes, it’s the respect that’s missing in our culture.