› 2022, article in the feature section of the NZZ.
In the metro of Mexico City, women stay among themselves in the first three carriages. This is indeed necessary: In a 2017 survey, 90 per cent of the women interviewed said they had already suffered assaults or violence by men in the metro. Riding in these women-only compartments is usually the only moment of the day when they don’t have to be wary of Mexican machismo.
The full text can be found in the section «Learning from Mexico». An excerpt is presented here.
Text excerpt:
Men are not welcomed in the wagon
Even though the women’s compartments offer them no protection against theft, Tzideni and Azalea feel much safer here. The fear of violence, physical harassment, insulting words or lewd stares fades during the time they spend in the metro.
After a half-hour ride, the doors open at Potrero station. A horde of men rushes into the compartment. Although the mood in the wagon changes abruptly, the female passengers do not seem surprised. There is an exception here, Azalea explains. For two stops, from here to the terminus, the cars switch to mixed use. Neither of the two women know the reason for this. During this short period of male presence, it is much more crowded, tense and quiet in the compartment. The chatty women have fallen silent. The men look around, while many women mostly avoid their gaze.
› 2022, article in the feature section of the NZZ.
In the metro of Mexico City, women stay among themselves in the first three carriages. This is indeed necessary: In a 2017 survey, 90 per cent of the women interviewed said they had already suffered assaults or violence by men in the metro. Riding in these women-only compartments is usually the only moment of the day when they don’t have to be wary of Mexican machismo.
The full text can be found in the section «Learning from Mexico». An excerpt is presented here.
