I’m a girl with a mission. For over a year now, I have been traveling the globe in search of truth. Along the way I am discovering myself. Here is one tale from the road, of which there will be many forthcoming…

A few summers ago, I spent three weeks traveling in India with 20 fellow middle and high school teachers. Yes, 20 irritating, unfriendly colleagues. 20 people flying together from California around the globe. 20 teachers riding in one tour bus around India. You might already see the punch line coming… Read More »

When I first stumbled upon this article, I thought it sounded like a load of crap. Women taking separate busses? Women actually wanting to ride public transportation without men? Really?

Really.

According to the Associated Press and Time, Mexico City recently segregated its busses because of how badly men were treating women on public transportation. Subway platforms were already segregated, but the bus situation continued to bring in complaints.

Mexico’s “ladies-only” buses are characterized by pink signs on the windshield. Now, instead of having to worry about a swift smack on the ass, our sisters can chat, primp, and pay attention to their kids. Before the change, men’s behavior was so bad that one woman reportedly carried a sewing pin to stave off the creeps, and said she has used it twice in one month.

Much to my surprise, women’s only buses are not a new idea. They have been used in several countries, including Brazil, India, and Japan.

So let’s hear it for the women of Mexico City who spoke out to fix this problem. Because honestly, being groped on the way to work is not how anyone should have to start their morning.

My boyfriend is from India.

I say this not to brag about my exotic foreign catch, but rather to expound upon the humor that can come out of dating a non-native English speaker.

For instance, he doesn’t say “development,” he says “devil up mint.” Why this is so funny to me remains elusive to him, yet he insists he’s pronouncing the word correctly.

“One billion Indians can’t be wrong,” he says.

Well, OK, he may have a point. For me, at least, my international relationship is so much more engaging than dating, say, another American.

American guys? BO-RING! First of all, they pronounce every word the same way I do (unless they’re from the South, I guess, but that’s another story entirely). Secondly, they think drinking and video games are the be-all and end-all of existence. And finally, their cooking repertoire consists almost completely of Easy Mac and Hot Pockets. Yeah, that’s appealing. Read More »

According to CNN.com, Richard Gere was issued an arrest warrant by a judge in the northwestern city of Jaipur, India last week because of a kiss (on the cheek!!) that was allegedly “highly sexually erotic”.

Trying to drum up support at a charitable event hosted by Heroes Project, a charity Gere developed to help fight AIDS in India, the aging actor attempted to do a swoop kiss with famed Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty. The harmless gesture didn’t seem so harmless to certain conservative Hindu groups, who demonstrated against the public display of affection (something that’s still considered taboo by many in the country) so strongly that a judge called for action. If convicted, both Gere and Shetty could face “three months in prison, a fine, or both”.

Gere’s camp, as well as a few spokespeople in India, claim the judicial gesture is preposterous and was only issued to gain publicity.

While my American brain agrees that certain people in that country need to simmer down, I’m even more outraged that Shetty is being dragged through the same mud as Gere. The courts claim that because she didn’t “resist” the gesture, she’s just as much to blame as the American Gigilo, a declaration I call patriarchal bullshit.

What do you think, lovelies? Should Shetty be called out? Is this just another case of patriarchal stupidity?