Street Harassment Rant

I just got back from a quick jaunt to the office and once again, I was harassed on the way to work and then on the way to home. About 80% of the time, something happens when I walk by myself on the streets of KL. Many times, it's construction workers whistling and catcalling from the buildings that they are working on, but a lot of the time it's also from passing cars, trucks and scooters. I am so disgusted by it! Usually, the f*ckers that do it from a car or a scooter just either whistle or go "hellooo", but I would actually be less offended if they just grabbed their crotch or at least just said what was on their minds, because they ain't just saying hello when they are saying hello - they know it and I know it. Snively little perverts "pretend" to be nice by saying hello, but how many people just randomly say "hello" from a car to a stranger on the street? And it's not "hello" as in "hello, how are you?" but "heellloooo", all singsong-like. What do they think, that I will give them a big smile, a big wave and say, "Hi! How y'all doin'? Sure, I'd love to take a ride on the back of your scooter!! You know, I'm not from around here..." A woman just knows what they are getting at, you know? The least they could do is have the balls to just say it.

Today it was even better. On the way to work, I had a guy intentionally scare me from a truck parked on the side of the road. He made a loud noise when I walked by, and it made me think someone had snuck up behind me on the sidewalk. I was between a construction and a line of trucks on the road, so I was spooked, not because I thought I would be hurt, but I'm usually more worried about someone snatching my bag. He wasn't sneezing, or coughing, or talking on his mobile phone, he just grunted REALLY loud when I walked by. Fucker.

Then on the way home, I was coming up against a couple of construction workers on the sidewalk who were coming back from lunch. I was so preoccupied with the fact that they were going to say something to me (which they didn't, by the way) , that I didn't even notice, at first, the guy leaning out of his van window going "Heelloooo? Hellloooo? How are youuuu?"

Now, let me just say that this is not all men KL, not by any means. I have met countless nice, polite, chivalrous men here. But it's these few that are on my last nerve.

Now, I never really feel threatened or in harm's way when these things happen, I'm just totally disgusted and insulted with their insidious ways. Do they think I am such an idiot that I am fooled by their false politeness? It's just creepy to me. I hope they don't pull that one day when I am in the wrong mood, or else I will beat them about the head with my umbrella.