What about your travel experience in the city?
Have you ever travel with KTM Komuter in KL? The issue that I want to touch in here is about discrimination or 'cliche' I might say, on gender bias.
Today I was out to meet someone in Subang where I don't know how to drive to get there. Couldn't get a taxi after waited for 30 minutes. I was late. There was no other public transports beside KTM KOMUTER that will take me there. A little phobia to take komuter as I still remember the horrible delayed trains experiences, the unreliable schedule system and etc just made my heart felt very heavy and saggy. I basically forced and dragged my feet to the Komuter Station.
Well the first thing I noticed when my train arrived was there is a new segregation system on the train carriage. As usual each of the Komuter trip arrive with three carriages. I found out that the middle carriage is now allocated only for women. I was actually surprised to see this.
There were many people and to my other surprise, there are a lot of women who actually queued on the non-women section too. The train arrived and when the train door opened I was close to the women's carriage, I just jumped in as I was also in a hurry and I believe I will not get a place inside the men section based on the amount of people there who tried to get in (including those women who queued on men's section).
When I was inside the train, I looked around and I was surrounded by all women. I didn't bother so much because I was late to meet someone and I know I paid the same fare.
Well the best part was there is one lady who wanted to show her leadership to the other women said to me,
"Adik, kat sini untuk perempuan jer la.. U kena pergi yang belakang or depan punyer".
My answer was,
"Tapi yang depan and belakang tu dah penuh, so saya nak cepat, terpaksa naik yang ni".
She didn't stop there, she pushed again by saying,
"Aik kalau dah penuh kena la tunggu yang kosong punyer".
And she said it with an evil smile. With that evil smile, I replied her back,
"Penuh tu pun akak sila la bukak mata tengok perempuan punyer la banyak dalam tu...Kalau dah sediakan gerabak ni khas untuk wanita je, yang diorang dok sebok menyemak dalam gerabak lelaki tu apahal? Lagipun, cuba akak check harga tiket yang akak bayar tu dengan saya, ada beza ke? Kalau sama je, kenapa pulak akak dapat keistimewaan daripada saya? Kalau akak bayar lebih dari saya takper".
Then this lady replied with a very rude tone in hope to smashed me by saying,
"We all women, mestila nak special protection and hak keistimewaan!"
Then I replied her back,
"Ooo...kalau bender-bender tertentu nak pulak hak keistimewaan, dilindung dan dijaga dengan cara yang berlainan dari lelaki. Tapi kat akhbar tu, hari-hari dok perjuangkan hak samarata, pantang kalau wanita tak dapat peluang sama dengan lelaki, kedudukan wanita tak disamaratakan dengan lelaki, pandai marah and buat bising memekak! Tapi biler bender-bender tertentu tak mau pulak samarata dengan lelaki?!"
With that she stunned for a moment and I saw her face tried to find for an answer but she was speechless. Finally she just turned her face away from me and let out a disgruntle remark.
Well I know that what I stated might sound harsh but it is in fact the reality. First, it is unfair for both of the genders to pay same fares but one is getting a special treatment from the other.
Second if the middle carriage is really located for women for their safety and special protection and men is not allowed to enter, then apply the same rules and principles to women. Please don't let them enter the men carriages. We don't need protection. We need space.
I am puzzled actually to think about this. There a lot of issues as we all know where women fight for equal rights with men everyday in every part of the world. For example even it is clear in Islam men make better leaders, most Muslim women don't agree. They want more women to be considered for leaders, they complained about women don't get same opportunity with men, women want what men have, women want to fight on a same fair level playing-field with men in daily life, etc and they even said that women shouldn't let themselves tolerate and accept polygamy although it is clearly mentioned in our religion that men are allow to marry more than one.
THE BIG QUESTION is if women really want some equal rights with men then fight like men. You don't expect to march on a battlefield and hope for some special treatment in certain issues. You want equality? Then don't complaint if you are getting it!
It is really unfair that when the issue favor your gender by getting equality, you demand for equality and make a big noise about it. But when in certain areas where you don't get special treatment by having an equality, you ask for special treatment and also make a big noise about it!
Women out there...please get real!!!
I am tired of these craps!
-Alvy-
