my book about being mistaken for a hooker (yes it's happened more than once)

This afternoon F and I decided to explore Geylang, Singapore's infamous red light district. I didn't expect much in terms of scandalous people or behavior since it was 2 in the afternoon, but apparently he expected otherwise. Boys, honestly. Every girl he passed he would eye quickly and covertly, then turn to me and mutter under his breath, "So do you think she's a--?"

"No," I said on more than on occasion, "I think she's just a normal girl walking down the street!"

"But it's the red light district!" he protested.

"It's also two in the afternoon!"

"Then what are they doing, if they're not out?"

"Oh, I don't know," I said, throwing my hands in the air, "sleeping?" Honest to God, people, this is why I will never date Asian guys again. They can be decent to hang out with but there is so much underlying misogyny and homophobia in their outlook on life. No thanks.

We made a pit stop for food and F joked that he was wary of the food here - it might have STDs. "Are you kidding," I said. "I highly doubt they have sex with the food and then sell it. Don't be ridiculous."

Apparently I am not so good with sex-worker jokes anymore, if I ever was. My sense of humor, I seem to have lost it somewhere.

The entire area is not as bad as it might sound. Definitely more run-down than the wealthier, glitzier parts of Singapore, it boasts a lot of tiny food shops (hot pot, Korean barbecue, more hawker centers with traditional Singaporean food) and massage parlors and shady KTVs. It is obviously not the most reputable part of town and I have no doubt that some not-entirely-legitimate businesses may occur at night, but it's entirely safe and not terribly interesting on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

A little later, we passed a girl getting out of a taxi in short shorts and high heels. "She must be," F said with conviction after we pass her. I rolled my eyes.

"You can't just assume every girl wearing high heels is a hooker."

And then he started laughing because he finally realized that I was in heels (and jeans, mind) and had been the entire walking trip through the area. "No wonder all the guys were looking at you. They think you're one."

Sadly, this was true. There's nothing quite like being looked up and down by dirty old men as you pass them by in the middle of the red light district, even when you are wearing more clothes than the guy you're with. Nothing like visiting the red light district to realize how terrible guys can be.

I faked amusement, because it's what you do, I guess. How do you reply to that? "Yes, you think it's hilarious that other people think I'm a hooker. I think it's hilarious too!"

I originally thought this was going to be a sort of funny retelling of my afternoon adventures, but it turns out it's really just an unfunny retelling of a not-terrible but far from great experience with misogyny and, yeah, I'm gonna say it - rape culture.

Good times, y'all. Good times. I'm going to put this afternoon out of mind now that I've complained about it and hope that tonight's plans for the night safari go better.