Really? How old are you!?

A couple of my guy friends here have complained about how girls here, minas, are ice queens. It seems understandable if you think about how incredibly intense men are.
For example, I like smiling at people I pass on the street, but I can't really do that. In fact, I really should not smile at men at all because there is a good chance they'll take it as an invitation or flirtation of some sort. Now I have to walk around the streets with a very serious look on my face, because I'm scared men will get nasty with me. In fact, I like dressing simply and comfortably, I don't look too girly, kind of boyish sometimes, never any make up, and men still say inappropriate things. When you take this kind of fordwardness into consideration, it seems logical that girls here are very stand off-ish, ice queens (someone told me that this is mostly in Buenos Aires, because in other parts of Argentina girls are less cold.. I doubt this, because I know the same thing happens in other parts of Latin America..).

So, to the point of my story: today, as I was leaving my apt and passing by a school, the kids were getting out of classes. I love this part of the day because I get to see the parents or siblings coming to pick up the children, everyone holding hands and telling each other stories about their days. Today it wasn't so pleasant. There was a group of about 6 to 8 boys, and one of them saw a pretty girl across the street. His reaction? "Let's yell at her!" So they did. They all started yelling at her that she was "hot" and other much more explicit, rude, and ridiculous things. The girl ended up just leaving where she was. I almost turned around and unleashed my inner mother on them, telling them they were rude and out of place, and that they should not be doing that. But I didn't. Myabe I should have. But the point is that, beyond making me very angry, it really disappointed me that kids are seeing this kind of thing and following the very bad example. It's sad that habits like that are so ingrained in the culture because kids just end up repeating what they see adults around them do. In the end, it isn't their fault at all, but the irresponsible adults that set such horrible examples, and make boys believe that girls are objects to yell at on the streets.

End of rant.

written by

poweroflove on March 16, 2009 from Buenos Aires, Argentina

from the travel blog: ARGENTINA

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