Top 5: Best and Worst of Being a Woman in Panama
(http://www.costaricapages.com/panama/blog/) After living in Panama for some months now I have a bit more perspective on what it’s like to be a woman in Central America. Granted, I am a foreign woman, but here are my thoughts on the best of times and worst of times to be a lady here.
Panama’s politics are progressive, or so it seems to me. Panama has already had one female president, Mireya Moscoso, who served from 1999 to 2004. Curently, Balbina Herrera is running against Juan Carlos Navaro as the PRD candidate for the 2009 presidential elections and she appears to have the edge. Verdict: Best
Shopping for construction materials always takes much longer when I’m with my brother or father. If I go alone to Novey or Rodelag it’s amazing how efficient the workers suddenly become, so helpful and fast. Verdict: Best
Walking down the street, never have I felt more like a piece of meat in my life. Piropos, cat calls, wolf whistles, call it what you will, men stopping their cars, slowing down, leaning out windows, shouting off balconies, and asking you “how much?” becomes a little tiring after a while. Tiring, not flattering. Verdict: Worst
I believe it was Lil’ Kim who sung the hit ditty “Oh this is ladies night,” and indeed every gal enjoys free drinks and heaps o’ dancing. One of the best parts of living in Latin America is taking advantage of those ladies nights, where the booze flows free for female guests. Verdict: Best
While there is a strong police in Casco Viejo, could I take a cab and wander around alone? Probably. Would I dare to? Probably not. It’s a universal problem, but traveling alone as a female, especially in the dubbed dangerous parts of Panama, doesn’t seem safe or fair. As a foreign lady to this place I also feel caught in a Catch 22, where I don’t want to be an “idiot” for putting blinders on and getting into dangerous situations, yet I also don’t want to assume that every man who talks to me is a rapist, murderer, or potential threat to my existence. Verdict: Worst
