Being women,
what are our experiences in public spaces, particularly in India? Imagine
yourself walking down the crowded or lonely street, boarding the buses or
general compartments in train, on the overcrowded railway bridges or deserted
skywalks or even in a park alone.. How do you visualize yourself.. cautious.. watchful..
not looking directly at the people standing at the nooks and corners of
street.. minding your own business.. shrinking your body as much as possible?
And when you
are in ladies compartment of train..? or ladies waiting room.. or reserved for
women parks or any such spaces..? More relaxed, comfortable..?
With understanding that the perceptions are always related to attitudes of people and not only spaces, yet spaces provide us comfort and sense of belonging..
Does it mean that we look forward for such special types of spatial arrangements for us? Ask yourself..!
Does it mean that we look forward for such special types of spatial arrangements for us? Ask yourself..!
Most of us
do NOT agree with this.. We don’t really want special spaces for us..
So, what is
the problem with spaces “only for women”? Or with anything that is planned with
this “only for” tag? What women actually look for is co-existence, acceptance, and
respect as an individual and be an active part of society.
Are we
looking forward to different “Male society” and “Female Society” existing
separately? Don’t Children in the spaces designed for them expect their parents
to be with them? Don’t senior citizens expect their grand children to be with
them in “Nana-Nani Park”?
When women
expect that their viewpoints also to be considered while planning, their needs
and requirements to be fulfilled, do they really expect some few spaces
specially reserved for them? Doesn’t it mean that again we are creating some
small volume of spaces “reserved” for women and rest whole world open for men?
Just like a sheltered space called “home” or “workplace” where they feel
safer(?) and rest of the outdoors are men’s domain? Or just like kitchen and
inner rooms and backyards for women and front varandahs, living rooms and
whatever else was open for men?
When there
is lot of response for “Ladies Special Locals”, does that really mean that all
that women want in transportation are such locals? Or they are just finding it
convenient “better than existing” situation of just 2 and half ladies compartments
in 12 car locals?
The 2006 ‘why women?’ report (Women’s Resource Centre, 2006a) explores,
in-depth, the wide-spread misconception that discrimination against women has
been eliminated and women now enjoy full equality with men.
The exclusion of men by women and the
exclusion of women by men are fundamentally different. Christine Delphy,
internationally known radical feminist and editor of France's only Women's
Studies Journal, writes, “To accuse women of ‘inverse sexism’ (or Blacks of
counter- racism) is not only unfriendly, it is reactionary, because it
posits a symmetry between oppressor and oppressed. To decry or exclude those
who oppress you is not symmetrical with decrying or excluding those whom you
oppress” (Delphy 110) (Kamienski, 2003).
A research outcome
of a survey conducted in this regard during 2012 posits that women from the
city of Mumbai directly opposed the very idea of seclusion or sex-segregation
at public spaces.
Links to
this study are –
Please feel free to post your opinions on the concept of sex segregation in public spaces irrespective of your gender..
Looking forward!!
