English news everyday:Women dismiss dress suggestions from metro firm

李金颖

【背景】北上广大城市的公共交通系统是滋生问题的热点场所，似乎没有办法，在同一时间内，上班族都挤在狭小的空间内，这无论对谁男人还是女人、老人还是小孩都是挑战，不过，遇到困难最多的还是弱势群体。上海乘坐地铁的女性无法忍受“咸猪手”的骚扰向地铁运营公司要说法，地铁公司则建议乘地铁女性注意着装，自重第一。女性为什么会受到骚扰，谁之过？女性受到骚扰的问题怎么解决，谁之责？


A ** holds a sign reading "I can be coquettish, but you can't harass me" on Shanghai Metro Line 2 on Sunday. Provided to China Daily
Several women in Shanghai protested a statement from the municipal subway authority that "scantily clad women attract molesters" by holding posters reading: "I can be coquettish, but you can't harass me".

"It was a fight against the company's statement on its micro blog. We believe women have the freedom to choose what to wear, and how people dress should never be an excuse for **ual harassment," said a ** who joined the protest and only wanted to be identified as Xiangqi.

They covered their heads and faces with black cloth, leaving only their eyes visible, and walked into metro compartments and on platforms on Sunday. She said many passengers nodded and smiled at them.

The No 2 subway operating company in Shanghai updated its micro blog on June 20 with a picture of a ** wearing a semi-transparent dress standing on the metro platform.

"It would be a miracle if you dress like this in the subway without being harassed. Girls, please be self-dignified to avoid perverts," it wrote on the micro blog along with the picture.

Many people said it is rare to see women dressing so scantily in public, and women should not be blamed in this situation.

"Can it be reasonable that I'm doomed to be robbed if I drive a BMW car? That's the same," said Zhu Xueqin, a professional psychological counselor, who also works on gender studies.

The words seem to be a reminder for women, she said, but they are actually gender discrimination.

"With this attitude, how could the metro operator cope with a **ual harassment case in which a ** wore a miniskirt?" asked Zhu.

Some supporters of the metro company said the statement is a reminder of goodwill.

"But the tone is far from being courteous," said Xiong Jing, a senior officer from Media Monitor for Women Network, a Beijing-based non-governmental organization committed to properly reflecting women's needs and concerns.

"It's improper for the company, as a manager and maintainer of order in the subway, to criticize its women passengers, who are actually victims, on its official micro blog. We hope it can offer an explanation."

More women said molesters wouldn't be eliminated even if they put on heavy clothes.

"I was once **ually harassed on a bus in winter when I was in high school and I was wearing a school uniform. It has nothing to do with what a ** wears, which I think most people will agree with," said Tian Wei, a 26-year-old white-collar worker in Shanghai.

Some women said **ual harassment should include all the behaviors that make someone uncomfortable, rather than only those with substantive actions.

"I feel very sick when some men look me up and down when I take the subway. I don't wear any improper clothes, and it's fairly rude and makes me angry," said a Shanghai resident surnamed Wang.

"Women are taught to be self-respectful since childhood, but some men show bad manners in respecting women and themselves," she said.

However, some men said they also feel perplexed by the way some women dress on the subway.

"It's embarrassing if a scantily clad young ** happens to stand in front of me. Sometimes I can only bend my head or take out my mobile phone to surf on the Internet," said 25-year-old Shao Yuru, a civil servant in Shanghai.