Safe and green: Mexico City offers women-only buses
Due to severely inappropriate behavior by some men (groping, verbal harassment) on Mexico City public transportation, city police have instituted three gender-segregated bus lines. 15 more routes are expected to get women-only buses before April. The ladies-only buses - complete with pink signs - are part of a massive public transportation system in Mexico City that moves 22 million passengers a day.
The AP describes the scene on one man-free bus today this way: "passengers [...] spent most of their trip down the capital's tree-lined Reforma Avenue chatting or putting on makeup, instead of fighting off unwanted male attention. When a man mistakenly climbed aboard, the women immediately began teasing him and shouting that he should read the 'ladies only' sign." The man rode the bus a few stops before getting off.
There is a similar program on certain train lines in Japan and on some subway lines in Mexico City. But what do you do when it's the driver who's unable to keep his mouth shut?
Gallery: Women-Only Buses in Mexico City
UPDATE: very embarrassing typo fixed, thanks to JK.
[Source: Olga Rodriguez / Associated Press ]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Karkus 11:10AM (1/25/2008)
Interesting idea, but does that mean the few women who ride the now mostly men buses will get treated even worse?
What about this instead? Women at the front of the bus, men at the back, and couples in the middle (to form a barrier).
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rgseidl 1:49PM (1/25/2008)
@ Karkus -
Rosa Parks would surely have had a field day with your idea.
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Ernie 4:35PM (1/25/2008)
Ugh. This is an astoundingly sexist policy. Giving women special treatment to protect them does nothing to protect them. They're basically just giving up and saying "well, men are like that" instead of trying to *correct* their behaviour, saying "No, that is NOT acceptable" and actually punishing the offenders.
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Karkus 4:30PM (1/25/2008)
Yep, that's exactly what came to my mind too when I wrote that comment #1.
Then again, how are front/back segregated buses any worse than the "separate but equal" type bus separation system that they're now using? Besides, the front/back idea is more efficient, in terms of how many buses you have to run to still provide everyone with frequent service.
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jmr22192 2:24PM (1/27/2008)
say what you want.. this is sexist, how dare they segregate, etc. it all comes down to ignorance and the lack of respect that our world has
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myty 2:27PM (1/27/2008)
why should we women have to put up with cr*p?????? society???? it's well past time to make a stand once again.... MEN DON'T RULE THE WORLD........
WE ALL DO!!!! BOTH SEXES!!!! so grip your little palm together boys and make peace
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carmela amari 2:51PM (1/27/2008)
Theere should be stricter laws against men who harm women in any way. Also, men should be taught respect and they should ban any movies where women are treated badly! Maybe we women should start getting violent back!
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judy 3:19PM (1/27/2008)
Get a grip...don't most of you read the paper...So many women are being attacked in Mexico, they are trying to protect them....
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Wolfster 4:57PM (1/27/2008)
Men at the back behind chain link fencing.Some men can be so tiresome. How do they expect to get someone to take home and have fun with when they display such loathesome, frightening behavior
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reality 3:02PM (1/27/2008)
This story was not about the problems in the usa where your freedom and rights are better protected This story is in Mexico City where murder is more likely the solution to many problems and the police there are powerless to protect the ones who need it the most. So many of the women are VERY gratefull for a bus that they can ride in peace to work or whatever.
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gary 3:04PM (1/27/2008)
Well, the very attitude that started this system is the same attitude that helps to foster those demeaning and aggressive behaviors towards women.
The whole idea of ;the 'weaker', delicate' sex, Of men saying "we must protect out little wives and homemakers and daughters and in many cases our 'whores' from the all-to-powerful man..."
Wrong!! Punish the aggressors, encourage women to resist and to speak out against that kind of harassment and abuse!
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get real 3:09PM (1/27/2008)
i agree with #8 this is mexico city not america things are done differently there they do not have the same freedoms we enjoy -and hate- in america.
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JK 3:13PM (1/27/2008)
"Due to severely inappropriate behavior by some men (groping, verbal harassment) on Mexico City pubic transportation..." PUBIC transportation???!!! What a place to make a typo!!
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Kelcey 3:28PM (1/27/2008)
I think it's a great idea. To all those who think it's sexist, that's ridiculous! they have a choice: Ride the safe all women bus, or ride the regular bus. They aren't mandating that all females ride the all women bus. Youalso have to remember that it's mexico city, not the US. The police don't have as much control, so trying to repremand the men is not a likely solution
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coco 3:32PM (1/27/2008)
HELLO! That is happening in MEXICO!!! NOT here!! Mexico is a different country, different laws, different rights. If that behavior happened here, in the US, 9 times out of 10 a woman whip out a pistol and shoot the guy! :) So before you go ape and scream 'how sexist!' remember, Mexico is NOT the USA! It's different down there.
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NANCY 3:34PM (1/27/2008)
DID ANYONE LOOK AT THE PHOTO'S OF THESE "WOMEN"? MOST OF THEM DON'T LOOK WEAK OR DELICATE TO ME. NO WONDER THE MEN GAVE THEM THIER OWN BUS!!!THE WOMEN WERE PROBLY GROPING AND HARASSING THE MEN.
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Marie 3:45PM (1/27/2008)
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. THEY SHOULD HAVE THIS IN NY. ALL THOSE STUPID GROPING FOOLISH, MEN. I WOULD RIDE ONE IF THEY HAD THEM HERE. EXCELLENT IDEA.
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Ron Sarson 3:55PM (1/27/2008)
The real reason we don't need it in the U. S. is that if anyone groped any women I know, they would be smacked HARD, and probably with a purse or shoe, or kicked where it hurts most.
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rich 4:43PM (1/27/2008)
we have that same problem here in the usa . but it happens any time any where there is 2 or more mexicans and a female .they are rude and crude its like they never seen a women before . they have no respect for women . it had gotten so bad here in nj at a country tavern that my girlfriend and i go to dance that the owner stopped them from commin in .
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doc 4:02PM (1/27/2008)
6. why should we women have to put up with cr*p?????? society???? it's well past time to make a stand once again.... MEN DON'T RULE THE WORLD........
wow, what fantasy land do YOU live in? sorry babe, men DO rule the world
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