Mexico Launches Pink Taxi Service For Women
22nd October 2009
In an effort to curb sexual harassment of women by cab drivers, officials in the Mexican city of Puebla have launched Pink Taxi de Puebla, a taxi service provided by women, for women.
The new taxis are painted pink and boast beauty kits in every vehicle. "Some of the woman who have been on board tell us how male taxi drivers cross the line and try to flirt with them and make inappropriate propositions," pink taxi driver Aida Santos told the Associated Press.
The service caters to women who are sick of being ogled, cat called and harassed by male cab drivers, but the move has some women's rights activists up in arms. "We are in the 21st century, and they are saying women have continued worrying about beauty and nothing more," said Vianeth Rojas, of the Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Puebla.
Similar services have been growing in popularity in cities like Moscow and Dubai. A plan to institute a pink taxi service in Mexico City failed back in 2007, but the huge metropolis does provide female-only buses and subway cars during rush hours. At least some women in Puebla are supportive of the new fleet of taxis, "They won't have that feeling of insecurity, and they feel more relaxed," says Santos.
Source; en.terra.com
ALSO
Pink Taxis Provide Safe Rides For Women
October 21, 2009
35 little pink cars. And no, they do not belong to Barbie or any of her friends (sorry Skipper, Stacey and Theresa).
The pink cars are part of a ‘driven by women-for women’ taxi service to protect women against potentially predatory male drivers.
Several cities around the world have already implemented this type of pink taxi service. London, Lebanon, Dubai, Tokyo, Moscow and now Mexico’s colonial city of Puebla have jumped on the ‘pink’ bandwagon.
Pink Taxi de Puebla is a privately financed venture, but the Puebla state government provided licensing and training for its drivers. And there is clearly a market for these women-only taxis. As one Pink Taxi driver, Aida Santos, explains to Associated Press writer Catherine Shoichet:
"Some of the woman who have been on board tell us how male taxi drivers cross the line and try to flirt with them and make inappropriate propositions. In the Pink Taxi they won't have that feeling of insecurity, and they feel more relaxed."
Each car is supplied with a GPS system and emergency alarm. Oh, and they also each have a beauty kit for en-route makeovers (maybe Barbie should be jealous).
Not all women, though, are in support of these frosty pink taxis. Women’s rights activists are criticizing the concept, saying the taxis and alarm systems fail to address the source of the sexual harassment problem and the beauty kits positioned in each cab belittle and stereotype women as ‘appearance obsessed.’
But should the whole idea really be frowned upon? It may not eliminate the root of the problem, but isn’t it still a step in the right direction? Even if the women-only Pink Taxis don't reverse male drivers’ aggravating behavior, at least they are giving women an alternative and providing them with employment in a typically male-dominated taxi business and a safe ride home (with complimentary blush and lip gloss – who can beat that?).
Source; examiner.com
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