If women think they're being segregated, I guess they could always go ride in the other cars. I personally think it's a temporary solution to a larger problem that needs to be fixed, but sometimes a temporary solution is better than nothing. I'd ride in a lady car. But I hate that it's pink.

but is it protection or segregation?

It's both. Those are not oppositious terms.

It presumes that all men are potential perpetrators of sexual harassment, and that keeping women away from men is the best way of protecting them from it.

While densely packed subway cars are a special case, this logic can still lead to more segregation in other public settings as well, and if it is accepted in this case, it will, perhaps, become more likely to be accepted in other situations where men and women work or live or commute together.

The key is to find ways for men and women to positively co-exist in all public settings. Which is, you know, the opposite of putting them in separate cars. Segregating them, even if it is optional in that women can choose to ride in regular cars, will only reinforce the view that the genders are too different to co-exist positively. Further, this program does nothing to promote men viewing women as other people, rather than grope-able objects. Every time they see a pink-striped car, men will be reminded of the latter view. And, if these cars are around for long enough, they will only make it so much easier to see that as the natural order of things.

I believe it is a temporary solution that makes the problem worse, and heads in the direction opposite to the one in which we need to go to fix it. In that sense, I think it might be worse than no solution at all.

It is segregation, no way around that. It is extreme; one would think of spending the budget money instead to add more regular runs, this would cut down on the general crowding thus giving perpetrators no cover. But if it is a huge problem, if it is unsafe for women it wouldn’t be right to expect them to put up with that, hopefully it is only temporary. And hopfilly the negitive views of women change.

It would defiantly be wrong for the new generations, it would send the wrong message and give young women they impression every man is out to rape them, it wouldn't be fair if the young men were adopting new and more equal opinions about women, it would help stagnate change for this crowd, they don’t need to start adopting our more subtle methods of segragation.

Hey, felix is back.

Segregating the cars doesn't segregate the whole system. There's still plenty of opportunity for harassment while in the train stations.

I've got no problem with women only cars as long as there are men only cars too.

I wonder if there are (m)any female gropers?

i'd ride in the lady car. hell, I wish i had a ladies-only bubble that would transport me everywhere. I don't think that segregation is necessarily a problem if it's voluntary on part of the segregated person as a response to the fact that integration just ain't working out. i would rather be separate and protected rather than at risk. and in the men only cars they should play public service videos about NOT GROPING WOMEN. then maybe re-integration would be an option.

Any word on how the Japanese version of this experiment is worked out?

Claire, I'd say that the frequency of female gropers would be beside the point, to say the least. This is segregation and it's wrong. It's the equivalent of segregating people of color on trains because statistics say they are more likely to mug someone. I agree that the groping issue *is* a huge problem in these places and I know it's a horrible thing for a woman to experience and deal with, but dammit, I think this is completely ridiculous and out of hand.

Claire, I'd say that the frequency of female gropers would be beside the point, to say the least. This is segregation and it's wrong. It's the equivalent of segregating people of color on trains because statistics say they are more likely to mug someone. I agree that the groping issue *is* a huge problem in these places and I know it's a horrible thing for a woman to experience and deal with, but dammit, I think this is completely ridiculous and out of hand.

I'd like segregated transpertion, one for women another for men. I don't have to give up my seat or come to the aid of a womanin distress and potentially get hurt or killed myself.

Can we talk about oppression?
This is an old article, but I am shocked at the comments - seems to me y'all do not understand the oppression of women. Women do not violate men in huge numbers. Men rape, assault, and harass women every single day, something like every thirty seconds. 'Women only' cars keeps the women safe (those who can get in) and if it bothers the men, maybe they can talk to each other about why they do what they do to women and girls when no one's looking.
I lived in Rio from '92-'00. Most train riders live in the suburbs, very low and no income areas, far from downtown. They have long commutes, many work at jobs like housecleaning and construction and make $100 a month. And feed a family on that. These trains are old, crowded, people are tired, it's often 110 degrees w/ no ventilation. Women work double shifts in Brazil and all over the world. We all need protection from male violence!

Can we talk about oppression?
This is an old article, but I am shocked at the comments - seems to me y'all do not understand the oppression of women. Women do not violate men in huge numbers. Men rape, assault, and harass women every single day, something like every thirty seconds. 'Women only' cars keeps the women safe (those who can get in) and if it bothers the men, maybe they can talk to each other about why they do what they do to women and girls when no one's looking.
I lived in Rio from '92-'00. Most train riders live in the suburbs, very low and no income areas, far from downtown. They have long commutes, many work at jobs like housecleaning and construction and make $100 a month. And feed a family on that. These trains are old, crowded, people are tired, it's often 110 degrees w/ no ventilation. Women work double shifts in Brazil and all over the world. We all need protection from male violence!

Can we talk about oppression?
This is an old article, but I am shocked at the comments - seems to me y'all do not understand the oppression of women. Women do not violate men in huge numbers. Men rape, assault, and harass women every single day, something like every thirty seconds. 'Women only' cars keeps the women safe (those who can get in) and if it bothers the men, maybe they can talk to each other about why they do what they do to women and girls when no one's looking.
I lived in Rio from '92-'00. Most train riders live in the suburbs, very low and no income areas, far from downtown. They have long commutes, many work at jobs like housecleaning and construction and make $100 a month. And feed a family on that. These trains are old, crowded, people are tired, it's often 110 degrees w/ no ventilation. Women work double shifts in Brazil and all over the world. We all need protection from male violence!