The Times They Are Changin'
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
9 comments
On several recent occasions, some friends of mine have ridden in a taxi where the driver was a woman. While this wouldn't be extremely unusual in many other countries (I had a woman taxi driver in Israel earlier this summer), it's highly unusual in Jordan.
What are your thoughts on the subject and the future affects this may have concerning women merging into job markets that have, until recently, been fairly exclusive in Jordan?
What are your thoughts on the subject and the future affects this may have concerning women merging into job markets that have, until recently, been fairly exclusive in Jordan?
posted by Dave at 12:20 PM
9 Comments:
actually i remember a news story about this like 4 years ago (sounded like A PUBLICITY STUNT)
being a taxi driver is a cultural thing here you are supposed to adhere to a few stereotypes to survive and i honestly don't think females will be willing to do so
and anyways I think its not an interesting occupation for women world wide, please do tell what the numbers are in the world (too lazy to lookup)
I don't think it's an interesting occupation for anyone world wide, but that's a personal opinion.
As for the number of female taxi drivers on the globe, I'm not sure anyone has collected those statistics.
As for the stereotypes, are you saying that all the women taxi driver have to do to fit in is start honking at men who are walking down the road and make suggestive comments to their male patrons to fit in? ;)
As a woman, I'd naturally say "good for the female taxi driver who broke social barriers and did what she had to to feed her family and pay the bills". However I don't envy her position. In Jordan where men always opt to sit in the front because it's a "man thing", she must feel that her security is comprimised at times. Men would find it awkward being driven around by a woman and she's always on guard to make sure the man doesn't overstep his boundaries as a cab rider.
I've been in her cab before and since women opt to sit in the backseat (as they do in most countries), i was not affected by who was driving the car. I only looked in amusement at the many stuffed animals she had on the rear window and some that had fallen on the back seat.
I think it's sad, not because there are more women taxi drivers but because there are more taxi drivers, period. The general perception is that more taxi drivers reflects a lack of employment opportunities for the average Jordanian. And as prices rise and wages don't even come close to keeping up, more and more families are feeling the need to have more than one wage supporting the household.
So no, I don't see this as a sign of female empowerment so much as it is a sad reflection of the general state of affairs in our country.
I would prefer more female taxi drivers, as a client.
This mostly has to do with continuous heckling by the male taxi drivers on the streets of Amman. Meh.
that'd be sexy, I mean specially if she's a redhead, I'd go with her anywhere
LOL, ok enough with being pathetic, I think it'd be cool
what you would say if you found her in the night shift?
I totally support more female taxi drivers.
I havent ride with a one yet.
NO NO! please NO!
Female taxi driver? why people insist to humiliate females ? this isn't the suitable place for her, nevertheless if she insist then it's her right to be where ever she want but darn I can't see women as taxi driver not because she can't do it but because it's not the place where you want to see the sweet in.
It's like putting your sweet and cakes under your bed.
guess it's much nicer to kick out rude men taxi drivers out of this field than pushing girl to drive a taxi.
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