Now I know I am not the only person to visit India and be confronted and astounded with the contradictions within the society. I, as a woman, can not walk around with bare shoulders or arms, nor show my legs. I don't and still the staring is unrelenting and sometimes they get bold and touch my arm or hand. As of yet, no one has grab my ass but I am still in calm, quiet and conservative Kerala. In any other part of the world, I have a very sure fire solution to the staring. I look back. Check them out head to toe, don't smile and look away. It works very well EXCEPT when it is the whole entire back of a bus. So, let's just say it works with individuals. Try it for yourself.
Back to my point. In this society, I must be very conservatively dressed. I do naturally but this place even makes me think twice about the modesty of my attire. Someone was recently telling me that there were villages in this area that up until 20 years ago the women were walking around bare-chested. Now, that is my kind of town. I was totally pissed off to hear such a thing. Why must I be so overly concerned about my dress when fairly recently woman could walk around topless? What on earth is that about? They blamed the British. Refreshing that it isn't the Americans. Needless to say, these people are not talking about sex but then low and behold in their major nation magazine where ads for condoms. I don't know about you but this ad makes me want to use a condom.
On a related note, there was public service announcement on the radio about Aids and safe sex. Turns out my little 20 something cronies here have never seen one much less know how to put one on. Well, by gum, (is that even the correct spelling for that?) I have found my mission. I will go buy some condoms, and bananas or some male volunteers, and us girls are going to get a little education.
