Yesterday I rode the metro (our cities train/subway). We have a lovely feature on our metro. The front car on every train is for women only. This is so nice because the metro can get extremely crowded and usually the women's section is much less crowded. And if you have to stand really close to someone at least it is a woman and not a creepy guy.
So my trip yesterday was pretty uneventful. I wore my face mask to protect myself from swine flu. I noticed a few others also wearing masks. I felt like we should high five each other, but that would just spread the swine flu more.
As I entered the metro I noticed a young man, around 20 years old, who was talking to his girl friend in the women's section. A lot of times a guy will stand on the in between area of the two cars and talk with a girl friend or wife, but this guy was a good 10 feet in. I was probably 20 feet away. I thought for sure someone would let him know that he was in the wrong section. Or that he would notice that there were no other men. I love it when guys get on and they are shocked to see they are in the wrong place. Like a guy walking into a ladies restroom. But this guy was either clueless or just being brazen.
I thought to myself about this situation. I told myself, "Well if no one else cares, then why should I?" If I was near him I would for sure talk to him, but I would have to walk all the way over to him and approach him if I wanted to say something. I kept trying to ignore it, but I just couldn't. I thought about all the men who also noticed this one guy in the women's section and maybe some of them thinking, "Well if he can do it, I can do it." That will just lead to chaos. So I had to do something. Not just for myself but for all the women who didn't have the courage. I needed to take a stand.
So I walked up to the guy and his girl friend as they were smiling and laughing together. I just said, "This part is only for ladies so you will have to go back there." They both shrugged their shoulders and walked back to the other car. I said, "Thank you." And I walked back to my spot 20 feet away. I didn't make eye contact with anyone as I walked and I tried not to look back at the guy. I thought people would applaud me or throw flowers or smile at me, but no one did anything. But maybe, just maybe, the next time one of these ladies come into the metro and a guy is in their section, they will say something. They saw the strange white lady with a mask on her face do it. HERO!
So my trip yesterday was pretty uneventful. I wore my face mask to protect myself from swine flu. I noticed a few others also wearing masks. I felt like we should high five each other, but that would just spread the swine flu more.
As I entered the metro I noticed a young man, around 20 years old, who was talking to his girl friend in the women's section. A lot of times a guy will stand on the in between area of the two cars and talk with a girl friend or wife, but this guy was a good 10 feet in. I was probably 20 feet away. I thought for sure someone would let him know that he was in the wrong section. Or that he would notice that there were no other men. I love it when guys get on and they are shocked to see they are in the wrong place. Like a guy walking into a ladies restroom. But this guy was either clueless or just being brazen.
I thought to myself about this situation. I told myself, "Well if no one else cares, then why should I?" If I was near him I would for sure talk to him, but I would have to walk all the way over to him and approach him if I wanted to say something. I kept trying to ignore it, but I just couldn't. I thought about all the men who also noticed this one guy in the women's section and maybe some of them thinking, "Well if he can do it, I can do it." That will just lead to chaos. So I had to do something. Not just for myself but for all the women who didn't have the courage. I needed to take a stand.
So I walked up to the guy and his girl friend as they were smiling and laughing together. I just said, "This part is only for ladies so you will have to go back there." They both shrugged their shoulders and walked back to the other car. I said, "Thank you." And I walked back to my spot 20 feet away. I didn't make eye contact with anyone as I walked and I tried not to look back at the guy. I thought people would applaud me or throw flowers or smile at me, but no one did anything. But maybe, just maybe, the next time one of these ladies come into the metro and a guy is in their section, they will say something. They saw the strange white lady with a mask on her face do it. HERO!
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