Men get off on offending women! I don't want to narrow this down to Egyptian men and I don't want to generalize either, but if on a regular basis, i get name called and whistled at, get men on my tail trying to drive me off bridges, and randomly get cursed at for so daringly showing skin on my upper arms, then I can't help but be a little prejudice.
It's apparent to everyone living in Cairo now that this offensive rude nature has become a social stigma. People driving will curse, people in line (well what should have been a line) will push, soyas (people who help you park) will just outright ask you for money if you happen to even think of ignoring them, it's always crowded and stuffy, everything takes so long and takes too much effort...everyone is just ...fed up!
I mean, sure you'll still get your occasional smile without reason, friendly helpful strangers, even a random act of kindness every now and then. But for a man walking past me in broad day light who decides to randomly curse at me in a whispering tone...that's just messed up, and kind of sick, and well...calls for concern.
It's no longer about sexual frustration (yes that's how some of us egyptian gals liked to explain harassment at times when we've run out of other logical -or not- possibilities), it's not about religious inclinations or extremism. I definitely know what it's not about...but I can't figure out what on earth is going through someone's head as he passes a perfectly normally dressed female and whispers something about her mother's vagina ...you know! Just for the hell of it!
Sometimes i think to myself, we're just too many... perhaps it's expected that at some point, we won't stand each other. There's never room in restaurants, or parking spaces, or smooth traffic. We never get anything done on time...everyone is burning cigarettes and honking and cursing and on some days..you look around you and it's chaotic, and worst of all....you realize..you're part of it.
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