Staff Writer
As someone who has been living in Japan her whole life, I have noticed the women-only passenger cars. At first glance, the idea of having a place only for women seems like a logical, well-intentioned idea. After all, as a female I sometimes feel that it can feel uncomfortable to be in a crowded train surrounded by businessmen who tower over me. In a country like Japan that is notorious for sexual harassment on public transportations, it seems necessary to have women-only passenger cars to help women feel safe on the way to their destination. However, I would like to argue that women-only passenger cars do not actually contribute to the growing feminist movement. It is fact, a passive solution to the issue of sexual harassment.
I find it appalling that women-only passenger cars are even needed in the first place. The idea that women have to be segregated from males, intentionally or not implies that women are the cause of sexual harassment. It sends a distorted message, whether deliberate or not, that in order for sexual harassment to stop women should not be near men. The presence of women-only passenger cars does not solve the root issue of sexism — that women’s bodies are not respected by the opposite sex, and are seen as the inferior sex. From my experience, witnessing women feeling the need to ride women-only passenger cars makes me feel that women are the ones who are being “punished” for sexual harassment. It is indeed inconvenient for me and certainly other females to walk all the way to the back of a train just to be in a women-only passenger car.
In order for sexual harassment to be truly addressed, the mentality that women must be hidden away from men must stop. Although I acknowledge that it can be difficult to provide evidence for sexual harassment, especially on a crowded train where people can accidentally bump into each other, I believe that a truly effective solution must come from women themselves. The facade that women are helpless beings, partly enforced by the existence of women-only passenger cars, must disappear. There should be a stronger emphasis on women to defend themselves on public transportation by yelling in order to truly highlight the problem of sexual harassment. On the other hand, however, I also acknowledge that women in Japan often have difficulties reporting sexual harassment due to societal expectations. Women in Japan are often stereotyped to be meek, subservient people by both Japanese men and foreign men. This, I believe, partly explains my experience of meeting plenty of Japanese women who resist raising their voices in fear of drawing attention to themselves. However, in order for the feminist movement to truly manifest itself in Japan, I strongly concur that women in Japan must raise their voices in order for gender equality to exist.
It is necessary for me to note that the existence of women-only passenger cars is only a single aspect of the issue of sexism in Japan. However, I do believe that my message that women have the ability to solve gender inequality can extend to other issues of sexism.