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| How pink seats became pink. Captured from Instagram by Jung Hae-myoung (@heyhae94) |
By Jung Hae-myoung
"Please leave pink seats empty for pregnant women, including those who don't show signs due to their early stages of pregnancy."
This recorded reminder is regularly made by a PA system on the subway: How do commuters heed this message?
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| 94 percent of people say they would leave the pink seat empty. But the reality says differently. Captured from Instagram by Jung Hae-myoung (@heyhae94) |
One day recently, I rode subway to find out more. A 15-hour observation shows those color seats in the subway often do not serve those they are intended for. I only saw one pregnant woman take the pink seat during those long hours. On other occasions, the seats were taken by others and rarely left vacant.
As the announcement was made, a mom happened to come on board, pushing an empty stroller and holding a toddler.
Two old women stayed in the pink seats located on opposite ends of the bench, even though they saw the two.
There were no empty seats, forcing the mom and baby to stand near the doors. The women didn't get up and relinquish their occupied seats for the mother and child, but by extension of the rule, it would have been better if the mom was given the seat.
During a less busy time in the afternoon, pink seats were taken by two men. One man was a senior citizen, and the other was young teenager, playing games on his smartphone.
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| A teenager playing games while sitting on the pink seat. Captured from Instagram by Jung Hae-myoung (@heyhae94) |
Later, people of various ages occupied the pink seats.
During rush hour, some teenage girls sat on the pink, texting.
Some didn't take those seats after a fleeting moment of hesitancy, obviously thinking about whether to sit on them or not.
The men and women who were not pregnant but took the seats didn't look uncomfortable.
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| A man on his smartphone sipping coffee in the pink seat. Captured from Instagram story by Jung Hae-myoung (@heyhae94) |
Some drank coffee or listened to music. Only when confronted with a woman with obvious signs of pregnancy, they reluctantly got up and left.
During my observation, I didn't see any extreme cases like one in 2016. Then, one senior citizen demanded a woman prove that she was expecting a baby. When she refused to do so, the man kicked her stomach.
I spoke with one pregnant woman who talked about an awful experience.
"I would give my seats to old people all the time, because I was raised by my grandparents," she said. "In early stages of pregnancy, I felt so ill and sat on one of seats reserved for old people, those with disabilities and children and also for pregnant women."
She said, "One senior citizen came to me and told me to move over. I felt so embarrassed with everyone watching me."
The situation has become so bad that a certification badge has been adopted to prove a woman's pregnancy.
"I don't understand why I have to tell and explain to strangers that I am pregnant," said an expecting mother at Gangnam Station.
Of 54 seats in one car, there are only two pink seats and 12 priority seats.
