For me India is one of the most sexually repressed countries in the world. It gives off the impression that sex is seen as a dirty word here. It is some poison from the west. A man should never touch a woman until they are married. Sex should only be something that happens in marriage and then only for the conceiving of children. They don't even show sex in films or TV! In truth, India is a country filled with sexuality just like any other, if not more, because to suppress ones desires will only make them stronger in my belief. India has one of the highest rape figures in the world, which was brought to the worlds attention recently with the horrific rape of a student in Delhi. India also has high rates of women who are trafficked into prostitution, and like rape here, most turn a blind eye to it. You have to ask yourself the questions, that if India had a more liberal attitude towards sex, would the number of these cases be so high? Is it when you sexual repress a human being, that sex really does become something dirty? I don't have the answer to this. It is too complicated as an issue to try and solve, but as a woman travelling India, it is something I have debated a lot, because believe me it's not easy being a woman India, especially for one that is liberal and values her freedom so much.
I have travelled India three times now, but I have never travelled with a man. I often wonder what kind of experience I would have travelling with one; how different it would be? As I said being a woman here is not easy and being a western woman here with out a male is full of difficulties. From the moment you step into India, you are met with constant stares, not just from men but women and children too. You are an oddity with your light skin; funny coloured hair and strange ways. The difference with the men is most of them look at you in sexual way. Why? Because western woman are seen as different. We have sex before marriage, if we even get married at all; we wear revealing clothes; and in life we may have more than one sexual partner. This means we are more accessible; this makes us more sexual, or as we have been told: "SEXY!" Not like I can see how anyone can be classed as sexy when you haven't brushed your hair; have no make up on and are wearing the same clothes you have had on for the last three days!
Being "Sexy" means that a lot of men seem to thing you will have sex with them or are a least up for being touched. This results in you being friendly, being translated as a come on; a hug turning into hands being where they shouldn't be; and me and Lauren being felt up on public transport (Lauren on the bus; me on the train)! There is also the constant barrage of having your photo taken. I now know what it must feel like to be famous and I don't like it! I don't mind the photo calls with the families, as the thought of being the photo of the token white girl in a family holiday album doesn't bother me, but photos for the single guys does. They pester constantly and when you say no, they try and take it anyway. Me and Lauren have taken to putting our scarves over our faces to defeat them. I wish I had a Burka sometimes. Why do these guys want these photos? I have heard different theories. One is they show their friends and say your their girlfriends. Another is that they do with it, what guys do alone with a photo that they fine sexy! OMG! Its so tiring. I love India. I love the people, but this is one aspect of life, I will never get use to here. You might think I'm being harsh; stereotyping; even slightly racist, for they are just doing what guys in England do over Page 3 girls and Nuts Magazine. You could even say I'm a huge hypocrite. Do I not sexualise myself all the time by wearing short skirts and posting pictures of myself on Face Book in some scantily clad bikini? Yes I do, but its my choice and that's the difference. I think one of the strongest things a woman has is her sexuality, but it must always be her, that is in control of it. In India we have no control on the way our sexuality is perceived and it is this problem that western women feel frustrated, scared and powerless here sometimes. Now I've finished my feminist rant, I await the backlash I shall probably receive from it.
It wasn't always like this in India. This is the country that gave us the Karmasutra; though this is also about leading a moral and gracious life, as well as how many sexual positions you can do in one night when you have had too much to drink. Me and Lauren ventured to a small town called Khajuraho to see their famous World Heritage listed temples. Great! More temples your thinking. Yes, but these ones are different. These ones are sexy!
The 25 temples that are left were built AD 950 and well they seem to have a big theme running through them: Sex! Everywhere you look there is tits and ass and people doing positions I didn't even think was possible. You find yourself looking upside down! You can tell where the raunchiest bits are, as they usually have the most people crowded around them, so of course I rush over. The favourite seems to be the nine person orgy. Next to it is a guy, well...... Hmm! Tending to his horse is the best way to put it. Most people pretend not to take much notice of this one, but then secretly sneak back when no one is around to take a picture, or was that just me?
In fact people's reactions to it are quite funny. The Indians are obviously interested because they are there, but also seemed extremely embarrassed at the same time, apart from the teenage boys who are taking loads of photos for their statue porn collection. The Japanese and Koreans don't seem to have any reaction and the French and the Germans look at it as something as normal as watching their favourite soap. Oh! And me and Lauren! How did we react? We were hot! Really hot! Not from the statues! The weather. I've seen both series of Games of Thrones! It's going to take more than that to get me hot under the collar!
Next stop Varanasi!
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