On gender equality and me, yet again, being mistaken for a girl

Last week, I was riding the MRT to attend yet another night of merriment involving liquor, a thing which has become way too frequent this year for the liking of... well not me, probably my parents. Anyway, so I was inside the train standing, when one guy called my attention to offer his seat. To offer his fucking seat. Because he thought I was a woman. A fucking girl. A  g i r l.

Three things immediately ran inside my head:

1. "Aba'y punyeta ka." (This one never fails every time I get mistaken for a girl)

2. "Boys can grow shoulder length hair too. Punyeta ka."

3. "At kung sakaling babae talaga ako, sa tingin mo ba ganoon ako kahina para tumayo ng ilang minuto hanggang sa U.N. Avenue station? Ganoon ba kahina ang tingin mo sa mga babae na dapat lagi silang nakaupo para maging komportable? Mukha ba akong nahihirapan sa pagtayo? Mukha bang nanginginig ang mga binti ko dahil nakatayo nang ilang punyetang minuto? Punyeta ka."

I just looked at him sharply and gave him a smirk.

#genderequality